England’s opening batter, Amy Jones, delivered a sensational unbeaten half-century, supported by valuable contributions from Tammy Beaumont and batting veteran Heather Knight. Their collective effort led the four-time champions to an impressive eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand in a Women’s World Cup fixture held in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, October 26, 2025.
Jones, who remained not out with a stellar 86 runs from just 92 balls (featuring 11 fours and 1 six), partnered with Beaumont, who scored a brisk 40 off 38 balls (including 7 fours), to forge a crucial 75-run opening stand. This formidable partnership set the tone for England as they comfortably chased down New Zealand’s modest target of 169 runs in just 29.2 overs. Captain Heather Knight also played her part, adding 33 runs to the scoreboard.
Earlier in the day, after winning the toss and electing to bat first, New Zealand found themselves bundled out for a total of 168 runs in 38.2 overs.
This emphatic win in their final league encounter secured England’s position in the semifinals, pushing them up to second place on the table with 11 points. This move places them ahead of South Africa, who currently sit in third with 10 points. Australia maintains its lead at the top of the standings with 13 points.
For England, the bowling attack was spearheaded by Linsey Smith, who claimed an excellent 3 wickets for 30 runs, ably assisted by Nat Sciver-Brunt (2/31) and Alice Capsey (2/34). New Zealand’s innings saw opener Georgia Plimmer as the highest scorer with 43 runs.
Brief scores:
New Zealand: 168 all out in 38.2 overs (Georgia Plimmer 43, Amelia Kerr 35; Linsey Smith 3/30).
England: 172 for 2 in 29.2 overs (Amy Jones 86 not out, Tammy Beaumont 40, Heather Knight 33).