WHITE FERNS TAKE ON IRELAND IN LAST-CHANCE SALOON TERRITORY

Media release

• Defending champions looking to get off the mark after two narrow defeats to start
• Former skipper Sophie Devine calls for character from the White Ferns
• Ireland return to Southampton after four-wicket loss to England at the ground

New Zealand never planned to lose their first two games of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 but the one saving grace for Sophie Devine is that it simplifies their task.

The defending champions take on Ireland in Southampton knowing that only a win will keep them in the hunt for the semi-finals after narrow losses to the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Former skipper Devine will call time on her White Ferns career at the end of the tournament and knows that her team need to forget about the permutations and focus solely on getting a win on the board.

She said: "In a sense, it almost makes it easier because you know exactly what you have to do. At this stage, it's about winning every single game and that starts with the game against the Irish tomorrow.

"We can't get carried away with trying to work out net run rate and points. At the end of the day, we've got to win games of cricket. We've put ourselves into this position.

"It's as simple as we win and we might potentially give ourselves a chance, but there's not much else you can say about it. We've just got to have some real pride and show some real character.

"We've been close, but in the field, it's let us down massively.”

The game against Ireland will be New Zealand’s third in Southampton, while Ireland were beaten by England at the same ground on Tuesday.

Knowledge of the conditions will help New Zealand, but Devine is well aware of the threats Ireland pose.

She added: "The staff, the facilities, everything in Southampton has been outstanding so we can't point the finger at anyone else but ourselves.

"I've been so impressed with the way Ireland have gone about things. Orla Prendergast is an outstanding player, Gaby Lewis as well.

"Amy Hunter, these players are really starting to stand up and a number are playing in the English domestic set-up. We've got to give some real respect to Ireland in terms of what they are capable of doing."

Lloyd Tennant, meanwhile, is asking for more of the same from his Ireland charges despite two losses to open their tournament.

Ninth-ranked Ireland struggled against close rivals Scotland in their opener, but head coach Tennant was pleased with the response against England in a four-wicket defeat.

He said: “We came here trying to get off the mark to win the game in the World Cup. If we could win one early enough, we would have changed our goals to see how far we could get and how much pressure we could put on teams.

“I think we set new standards for ourselves against England, and so if we can keep that momentum and play like that again, then we've got a chance of getting that first win on the board.

“I think if we can put play in the same manner aggressive with the bat, wicket taken with the ball, and aggressive in the field, then— and that's sort of where we're trying to get to as a team.”

With New Zealand in poor form so far this tournament, Ireland will sense an opportunity against the White Ferns.

The teams have only met four times, and most recently in 2018, with New Zealand winning all four encounters, however, Tennant will hope the gap has closed in the intervening period as his side are still chasing a first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup win having played 19 times at the tournament.

He said: “You would say that Scotland was a game that it's a 50-50 chance for us. They'd expect to beat us, I would think we'd expect to beat them. 

“You get off to a loss in the World Cup, it's a bit annoying and you're going to be a little bit down. 

“You come to play England, they're one of the best sides in the world, and I think we've shown that we can compete. 

“We take some positives from that and try and, if we can build on it, that'd be brilliant. But if we can maintain that standard in our next three games, I think we're moving forwards.”