New Zealand’s White Ferns are preparing for what they expect to be a fierce South African response when the two sides meet in Indore today, as both chase their first win of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Veteran all-rounder Suzie Bates, who will mark her 350th international appearance, said the Proteas would be: “hurting” after their heavy defeat to England and warned that such sides are often at their most dangerous. “You never want to face a team coming off a big loss – they’ll be desperate to put things right,” Bates said, adding that her focus remained on execution rather than celebration.

New Zealand, themselves beaten by Australia in their opener, showed flashes of resilience in that match. Captain Sophie Devine, who is set to reach 300 internationals, said her bowlers would again need to: “set the tone early” on a pitch expected to favour batters.

South Africa’s wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta said the team had: “done the homework” on their batting collapse against England and would focus on a ball-by-ball rebuild. Captain Laura Wolvaardt has urged calm, reminding her players they: “don’t become a bad batting unit overnight.”

With both nations under pressure to keep their World Cup hopes alive, the encounter in Indore promises to test not only skill but temperament – a contest between a side seeking redemption and one guarding against a backlash.