By Priscilla Jepchumba

New Zealand’s assistant coach, Craig McMillan, expressed excitement about the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the team’s potential.

The squad, consisting of experienced players like Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu and promising talents like Amelia Kerr and Fran Jonas, is ready to compete in the 20-over showcase.

McMillan refrained from explicitly stating the team’s expectations but conveyed confidence in the players and their capabilities. He acknowledged that New Zealand may not be the favored team by many but highlighted their enthusiasm for the tournament.

Additionally, he underlined the significance of senior players mentoring the younger ones for a well-balanced team and expressed hope for a successful campaign, emphasizing the crucial roles of Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine in the upcoming T20 World Cup.

“I think the expectations will stay within the group, but what I would say is that we’re excited about the (T20) World Cup and the matches that we have in our group,” said McMillan.

“We know that we probably won’t be one of the teams that are favored by many, but we’re confident in the players and the group we have, and we’re really looking forward to the tournament.”

McMillan recently joined New Zealand’s coaching staff and faced a challenging start when the White Ferns were swept by England in both the ODI and T20I series earlier this year. Despite the losses, McMillan believes the team can compete with any opponent if they perform at their best.

“I think we learnt that there’s work to be done to compete consistently with the top sides in the world and we obviously recently played England, who are certainly one of those sides that are in the top three (favourites),” McMillan said.

“But also, I think what we learned was there’s plenty of talent and skill in this White Ferns side, and how good this New Zealand side is, I think, will show very soon, and I’m really excited by that.”