The South Africa Women’s tour of New Zealand 2026 heads to the iconic Basin Reserve in Wellington for a crucial 2nd ODI. After a thrilling series opener that saw the Proteas pull off a dramatic heist, the White Ferns find themselves in a must-win territory to keep the three-match series alive.
The first ODI was a classic battle of attrition. New Zealand posted a competitive 268, thanks to a patient 85 from Maddy Green and a brisk 36 from captain Amelia Kerr. However, South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka stole the show with a magnificent 6-wicket haul, dismantling the Kiwi middle order.
The chase was equally intense. Annerie Dercksen played the innings of her life, scoring 72 to guide South Africa home with just two wickets to spare. New Zealand’s bowlers, led by the Kerr sisters, fought until the final over but couldn’t quite break the Proteas’ resilience
NZ-W vs SA-W, 2nd ODI: Match details
- Date and Time: April 1; 3:30 am IST / 10:00 pm GMT (March 31) / 11:00 am Local
- Venue: Basin Reserve, Wellington
NZ-W vs SA-W, Head-to-Head Record in ODIs
Matches played: 22 | South Africa won: 10 | New Zealand won: 12| No result: 0
Basin Reserve Pitch Report
The Basin Reserve in Wellington is renowned for its distinctive green tinge, which typically offers significant assistance to seamers during the first hour of play. Expect the surface to provide generous bounce and carry, making life difficult for the openers against the new ball. However, as the match progresses and the sun bakes the turf, the track tends to flatten out, becoming a batter’s paradise with true pace and reliable bounce. While spinners may find some grip later in the day, the breeze blowing across the ground often becomes a tactical factor for bowlers defending the shorter boundaries.
Squads
New Zealand Women: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr (c), Izzy Sharp, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Nensi Patel, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Bree Illing, Kayley Knight, Flora Devonshire
South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Kayla Reyneke, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayanda Hlubi, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Anneke Bosch, Karabo Meso
Also READ: NZ-W vs SA-W, 1st ODI: Kayla Reyneke clinches last-ball thriller for South Africa
NZ-W vs SA-W, 2nd ODI: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- New Zealand wins the toss and bat first
- New Zealand’s powerplay score: 50-60
- New Zealand’s total score: 260-280
Case 2:
- South Africa wins the toss and bat first
- South Africa’s powerplay score: 60-70
- South Africa’s total score: 280-300
Match Result: Team batting first to win the contest
Also READ: Jess Kerr, Sophie Devine power New Zealand to series-clinching win over South Africa in 4th T20I
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
