England jaisi team ke khilaf khelna koi asaan baat nahi hai, jahan unke paas world-class players aur ghar ka faida dono hote hain. New Zealand A ke liye yeh tour ek bada challenge hai, kyunki England A ki team apne maidan aur conditions mein hamesha dominant hoti hai. Iske bawajood, jab squad ko dekha to thodi si ummeed jagi.
Is 15-member squad mein 11 aise khiladi hain jo pehle hi New Zealand ke liye international cricket khel chuke hain. Inme se Hannah Rowe, Georgia Plimmer, aur Izzy Gaze jaise naam shamil hain, jo apne experience ke saath team ko majbooti dete hain. Rowe ke paas 107 international matches ka tajurba hai, jo unhe team ka sabse bada asset banata hai. Unki pace bowling aur consistency ne pehle bhi kai matches mein New Zealand ko jeet dilayi hai, jaise ki 2023 mein Sri Lanka ke khilaf unki shandaar bowling. Plimmer, jo ek talented opener hain, ne 67 matches khele hain aur unka recent form, jaise 2024 T20 World Cup mein unki aggressive batting, team ke liye ek bada plus point hai. Gaze, jo wicketkeeper-batter hain, 55 matches ke saath apni sharp keeping aur reliable batting ke liye jani jati hain. In teeno ne 2022 Commonwealth Games mein bhi hissa liya tha, jahan New Zealand ne bronze medal jeeta tha, England ko hara kar.
Inke alawa, team mein Jess Watkin aur Molly Penfold jaise khiladi bhi hain, jo apne all-round skills ke liye mashhoor hain. Watkin ne apne domestic performances, khaas kar Super Smash mein, dikhaya hai ki woh bat aur ball dono se game badal sakti hain. Unki leadership bhi Northern Districts ke liye kaam aayi, jahan unhone team ko back-to-back elimination finals tak pahunchaya. Penfold ki pace bowling bhi team ke liye ek nayi dhun laati hai. Iske saath hi, Bree Illing jaisi nayi khiladi, jinhone Sri Lanka ke khilaf apne debut par Chamari Athapaththu jaisi badi khiladi ko out kiya, yeh dikhati hain ki team mein nayi energy bhi hai.
Yeh tour, jo 23 June se Derby mein shuru hoga, teen one-dayers aur teen T20 matches ke saath ek bada mauka hai New Zealand A ke liye. Yeh series na sirf unke skills ko test karegi, balki unhe international cricket ke pressure ko samajhne ka mauka bhi degi. New Zealand Cricket ke Head of Women’s High Performance, Liz Green, ne kaha ki yeh tour un khiladiyon ke liye ek shandaar avsar hai jo apne aap ko agle level par prove karna chahte hain. Yeh baat bilkul sahi hai, kyunki aise tours se hi future ke liye strong players taiyar hote hain. 2022 mein jab New Zealand ne Commonwealth Games mein England ko hara kar bronze jeeta tha, usse yeh saabit hua tha ki chhoti teams bhi bade maidan par kamaal kar sakti hain.
Team mein naye khiladi jaise Anna Browning, Amie Hucker, Emma Black, aur Nensi Patel bhi hain, jo abhi international debut ke intezaar mein hain. In khiladiyon ke liye yeh tour ek bada stage hai apni kabiliyat dikhane ka. Jaise ki 2024 mein Sri Lanka ke khilaf series mein Polly Inglis, Emma McLeod, aur Izzy Sharp ne apna debut kiya tha, waisa hi kuch in naye khiladiyon se ummeed hai. Yeh tour na sirf inke liye, balki New Zealand ke women’s cricket ke future ke liye bhi mahatvapurna hai.
Lekin, thodi si fikar ab bhi hai. England ke maidan aur conditions mein khelna asaan nahi hoga. Wahan ka weather, pitches, aur crowd ka pressure New Zealand A ke liye ek nayi pareshani la sakta hai. Iske alawa, team ka captain abhi tak decide nahi hua hai, jo thodi si uncertainty laata hai. Brendon Donkers, jo assistant coach hain, England pahunchne ke baad captain ka naam batayenge, lekin tab tak team ke liye unity aur strategy banane mein thodi dikkat ho sakti hai. Fir bhi, yeh team apne dum par ladne ki kshamata rakhti hai, aur shayad yeh tour unke liye ek yaadgaar safar ban jaye.
