The Women's T20 World Cup goes straight into semi-finals on Thursday and while there are no quarter-finals, Aotearoa's White Ferns have wiggled into game against Australia that they have to win. Both teams will play their last game of the pool stage this evening and after Aotearoa's win over Sri Lanka, they missed a lovely chance to ease the pressure in losing to India late last week and then salvaged a tricky affair with Bangladesh. Two wins and a loss, now for the Aussies.

Unfortunately, there is little to suggest that the kiwis can get the job done against Australia as their performances against India and Bangladesh weren't all that convincing. The bowling has been the key for Aotearoa to this point, although that doesn't stretch into the fielding efforts of the kiwis as the fielding adds weight to the 'unconvincing' vibe. Aotearoa restricted India to 133/8 and that's a mighty effort, then they struggled in the run chase and clawed their way back to almost snatch the win via Amelia Kerr's 34* (178.94sr).

Then came being rolled for 91 against Bangladesh, only to rally and return the favour in rolling Bangladesh for 74. In these two games, the kiwis have shown a level of class to keep them in the contest and have been led by Amelia Kerr's all-round ability, as Hayley Jensen who has emerged as a key player for the kiwis. This isn't to say that the White Ferns have been under-whelming, in preparation for a must-win game against Australia though they have been unconvincing.

Ideally, there is a cricketing explosion from Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates in what may be among the biggest games they've played to this point. Devine scored 75 of her 101 total runs in the first game against Sri Lanka, then has scores of 14 and 12, with a wicket in all three games. Bates has been a non-factor so far with 34 runs in 3inns.

This World Cup was always going to be about how Devine and Bates operated among the world's best and we haven't quite seen them step up yet. Given that only two White Ferns batswomen have scored 50+ runs in these three games - Devine's 7th in runs with 101 and Maddy Green's 19th in runs with 64 - there is little to suggest that the entire Ferns batting line up can chip in for a big total against Australia. Either Devine or Bates needs to be the focal point of the innings, with hitting from Rachel Priest and Kerr sprinkled on top and then anything that the likes of Green and Katey Martin can offer.

While Aotearoa has two batters in the top-20 for runs, Australia has four. The kiwis could have an advantage with the ball though as Jensen (5th), Kerr (11th) and Leigh Kasperek (19th) are in the top-20 for wickets, while Australia only have Jess Jonassen in 14th and Megan Schutt in 20th. Jensen has been the low key star for Aotearoa with her 6w @ 7.83avg/4.27rpo, giving Jensen the second lowest bowling average for bowlers in the top-10.

Both Kerr and Kasperek are spinners and two of the four bowlers ahead of Jensen are spinners (Poonam Yadav, Sophie Ecclestone) highlighting not only the reliance on spin but the tremendous work of Jensen. If we're looking to Bates and Devine to fight off the Aussies, Lea Tahuhu may come into the spotlight here as her 2w @ 18.50avg/5.28rpo hasn't quite hit the mark. The key number here is actually Tahuhu's 7 overs and that's the only game in which Tahuhu has bowled more than 2 overs.

I'm also interested in the power of the White Ferns batting, especially against Australia. Here are the top-four batswomen for either team and their respective strike-rates...

Australia

Alyssa Healy: 148.88sr.

Beth Mooney: 117.72sr.

Rachael Haynes: 120sr.

Ashleigh Gardner: 109.43sr

Aotearoa

Sophie Devine: 110.98sr.

Maddy Green: 108.47sr.

Rachel Priest: 81.13sr.

Amelia Kerr: 150sr.

The Australian bowling hasn't been as good as their batting and Aotearoa's batting hasn't been as good as their bowling. The kiwis will desperately need runs from Devine and/or Bates and while there is a fabulous opportunity for someone like Green to legit announce herself as a world-class T20 stroke-player, there isn't a whole lot of evidence from this World Cup so far and the past two years to sugges that one of the younger player will drag the Ferns to a monumental win.

How many runs the White Ferns require is where the funk is, as there is enough variety and skill to trouble the Aussies. Devine and Bates will know all about how key Australia batswomen go about their business to add a little boost to this equation, while Kerr and Kasperek are among the best spinners in the world and could be useful with the Aussies eating up the medium-pacers. This game also marks a wee point ahead of the ODI World Cup in Aotearoa next year.

The White Ferns can either go into that World Cup having continued their record of stumbling in the major tournaments, or with the buzz of a hearty T20 World Cup campaign. Things have always been intriguing in the White Ferns bubble and today is another moment of that ilk.

PATREON

Peace and love 27.