Thumping win for New Zealand women

Suzie Bates hit 78 off 47 balls and Amelia Kerr 54 off 40 as it posted 194-4 from 20 overs, before restricting the minnows to 113-8 to win by 81 runs.

Skipper Sophie Devine sat out the match at Karen Rolton Oval, with Rachel Priest taking charge.

The White Ferns will now make its way to Perth ahead of Saturday’s campaign opener against Sri Lanka at the WACA.

Sri Lanka pulled off a shock win in its final warm-up match on Tuesday, beating England, which had beaten the White Ferns with ease on Sunday. Sornnarin Tippoch won the toss for Thailand and sent the White Ferns in on Wednesday. Priest made 15 off 8 and Maddy Green 34 off 25 before Bates and Kerr came together.

The all-rounder duo then combined for a third-wicket partnership of 126 off 71 balls. Leigh Kasperek struck twice in the opening over with the ball and Thailand quickly fell far behind the asking rate.

Thailand eventually finished at 113-8, with Kasperek taking 3-9 from three overs and Holly Huddleston 3-29 from her four. After getting underway against Sri Lanka, the White Ferns will be up against India (next Thursday), Bangladesh (next Saturday), and Australia (the following Monday) in group A.

The top two teams in each group then advance to the semi-finals.