Wellington, Dec 23 || Australia capped off their 24-match ICC Women's Championship campaign with a dominant a 75-run victory over New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, securing an unassailable lead in the tournament standings and clinching their third consecutive title in the competition.
Finishing with 39 points (17 wins, three no-results, three losses), Australia’s total is beyond reach for any other team. India, their closest competitor, can only reach 37 points with their remaining matches against West Indies (two) and Ireland (three).
The loss has significant implications for New Zealand, who now face uncertainty regarding automatic qualification for the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. Currently sitting in the final automatic spot with 21 points from 24 matches, they are vulnerable to being overtaken by Bangladesh (19 points, three matches remaining) or the West Indies (14 points, five matches remaining). If overtaken, New Zealand will have to compete in the Cricket World Cup Qualifier, where six teams vie for the last two tournament spots.
Australia’s victory also secures an automatic World Cup spot for Sri Lanka, who can no longer be displaced by teams with games in hand.