New Zealand women’s captain Sophie Devine is once again standing at a crossroads with a familiar situation called the Net Run Rate (NRR) ahead of the team’s last group-stage game against Pakistan in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. More than anything else, the White Ferns’ leader does not want to leave anything to chance anymore. 

“Cricket has a funny way of biting you in the bum,” Devine said while replying to a question about why they did not force themselves to chase down the target of 116 against Sri Lanka to get ahead of India on NRR ahead of both the teams’ last group stage encounters. 

“I’ve seen it so many times in different competitions and different leagues where you start focusing on those little things like net run rates, I’ve seen teams lose completely when they’re in a position to win,” she added during her pre-match press conference. 

Had the Kiwi team chased the target down in 14.3 overs, they would have been ahead of India on NRR and put pressure on the Women in Blue to not only win against defending champions Australia but do it by a big margin to remain in contention for a semi-final spot. 

However, Devine said that she was pleased with where her team stands, given the fact that they would play last in their pool and will know exactly what they need to do to get into the semis.  

“I think if you asked us at the start of the tournament that we’d have fate in our hands in terms of the semi-final race going into our last game, we would’ve taken it. We’re fortunate as well that we play last in our pool. We know exactly where the situation will lie,” she said, before adding, “Hopefully our Aussie mates do us a favour.”

If Australia beat India, then all New Zealand would need to do is win their game, but if India beat Australia, then all the numbers would start floating. New Zealand know what it feels like to lose out on a semi-final berth on net run rate as after all, they have been an NRR victim twice–in 2014 and 2023. So, Devine knew exactly what it meant when she said that cricket has a funny way of biting one in the backside. 

The New Zealand vs Pakistan encounter will take place on October 14 at the Dubai International Stadium. 

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