The thrill of T20 cricket is back in New Zealand as the Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 kicked off on December 19, 2023, promising an action-packed spectacle that will continue until January 28, 2024. Organized by New Zealand Cricket, the Women’s Super Smash is a prestigious women’s domestic T20 cricket competition, showcasing the finest talents in the country.
Overview of the Tournament:
In its 17th edition, the Women’s Super Smash features six teams vying for supremacy in a round-robin format, comprising a total of 32 T20 matches played over 40 days. The participating teams include Auckland Hearts, Canterbury Magicians, Central Hinds, Northern Brave, Otago Sparks, and Wellington Blaze, each eager to make their mark in this fiercely competitive tournament.
Format and Schedule:
The teams will engage in a double round-robin format, facing each other twice during the league phase. In this format, every team is set to play 10 matches in their quest for dominance. The stakes are high as the team finishing at the top of the standings secures a direct berth to the final, while the second and third-placed teams battle it out in the elimination final for the coveted second spot in the grand finale.
Key Dates and Culmination:
The Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 final is scheduled for January 28, 2024, promising a captivating climax to this edition of the tournament.
Defending Champions and Historical Significance:
Canterbury Magicians enter the tournament as the defending champions, having triumphed over Wellington Blaze by 12 runs in the thrilling 2022-23 final. However, history weighs heavily on Wellington Blaze, the most successful team since the inception of the women’s T20 tournament in the 2007-08 season. Boasting an impressive seven titles, Wellington Blaze is a formidable force in women’s T20 cricket.
Evolution of the Tournament:
The tournament has undergone a series of rebranding, evolving from the State League Twenty20 (2007-08 to 2008-09) to Action Cricket T20 (2009-10), later known as the New Zealand Women’s Twenty20 Competition until the 2017-18 season.
Where to Watch in India:
For cricket enthusiasts in India, the live streaming of the Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 will be available on the FanCode app and website. However, there will be no live telecast on any TV channel in India, making the FanCode platform the go-to destination for witnessing the electrifying encounters of this T20 extravaganza.
Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 schedule and live India match start times
All match timings are in India Standard Time (IST)
| Date | Teams | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, December 19 | Auckland Hearts vs Canterbury Magicians | 9:00 AM |
| Thursday, December 21 | Wellington Blaze vs Otago Sparks | 5:00 AM |
| Friday, December 22 | Northern Brave vs Central Hinds | 6:30 AM |
| Sunday, December 24 | Wellington Blaze vs Auckland Hearts | 2:30 AM |
| Tuesday, December 26 | Canterbury Magicians vs Otago Sparks | 6:30 AM |
| Wednesday, December 27 | Central Hinds vs Northern Brave | 5:00 AM |
| Thursday, December 28 | Otago Sparks vs Wellington Blaze | 5:00 AM |
| Friday, December 29 | Central Hinds vs Auckland Hearts | 5:00 AM |
| Saturday, December 30 | Central Hinds vs Canterbury Magicians | 5:00 AM |
| Monday, January 1 | Otago Sparks vs Auckland Hearts | 5:00 AM |
| Tuesday, January 2 | Northern Brave vs Wellington Blaze | 6:30 AM |
| Wednesday, January 3 | Otago Sparks vs Canterbury Magicians | 5:00 AM |
| Thursday, January 4 | Auckland Hearts vs Wellington Blaze | 5:00 AM |
| Friday, January 5 | Canterbury Magicians vs Central Hinds | 5:00 AM |
| Saturday, January 6 | Northern Brave vs Otago Sparks | 6:30 AM |
| Sunday, January 7 | Canterbury Magicians vs Auckland Hearts | 5:00 AM |
| Monday, January 8 | Central Hinds vs Wellington Blaze | 10:30 AM |
| Tuesday, January 9 | Canterbury Magicians vs Northern Brave | 6:30 AM |
| Wednesday, January 10 | Central Hinds vs Otago Sparks | 6:30 AM |
| Thursday, January 11 | Canterbury Magicians vs Wellington Blaze | 10:30 AM |
| Friday, January 12 | Northern Brave vs Auckland Hearts | 5:00 AM |
| Saturday, January 13 | Wellington Blaze vs Central Hinds | 5:00 AM |
| Sunday, January 14 | Auckland Hearts vs Otago Sparks | 9:00 AM |
| Monday, January 15 | Wellington Blaze vs Northern Brave | 5:00 AM |
| Tuesday, January 16 | Auckland Hearts vs Central Hinds | 5:00 AM |
| Thursday, January 18 | Northern Brave vs Canterbury Magicians | 7:00 AM |
| Friday, January 19 | Otago Sparks vs Central Hinds | 5:00 AM |
| Saturday, January 20 | Auckland Hearts vs Northern Brave | 5:00 AM |
| Monday, January 22 | Wellington Blaze vs Canterbury Magicians | 5:00 AM |
| Tuesday, January 23 | Otago Sparks vs Northern Brave | 5:00 AM |
| Friday, January 26 | Elimination Final | 5:00 AM |
| Sunday, January 28 | Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 Final | 5:00 AM |
Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 teams and squads
Auckland Hearts: Maddy Green (captain/wicket-keeper),Bella Armstrong, Brooke Halliday, Cate Pedersen, Kate Irwin, Prue Catton, Saachi Shahri, Skye Bowden, Amberly Parr, Amie Hucker, Anna Browning, Josie Penfold, Elizabeth Buchanan (wicket-keeper), Isabella Gaze (wicket-keeper), Bree Illing, Fran Jonas, Makayla Templeton, Molly Penfold, Olivia Anderson, Rishika Jaswal
Canterbury Magicians: Frances Mackay (captain), Laura Hughes (wicket-keeper),Abigale Gerken, Boadicea Lynch, Erin Bermingham, Harriet Graham, Kate Anderson, Natalie Cox, Yssa Cullen, Emma Irwin, Jacinta Savage, Jodie Dean, Nicola Clayton, Isobel Sharp (wicket-keeper), Abigail Hotton, Gabby Sullivan, Jessica Simmons, Lea Tahuhu, Melissa Banks, Sarah Asmussen
Central Hinds: Natalie Dodd (captain/wicket-keeper), Aniela Apperley, Emma McLeod, Kerry-Anne Tomlinson, Mikaela Greig, Thamsyn Newton, Flora Devonshire, Georgia Atkinson, Ocean Bartlett, Kate Gaging (wicket-keeper), Ashtuti Kumar, Claudia Green, Hannah Rowe, Melissa Hansen, Rosemary Mair
Northern Brave: Eimear Richardson (captain), Bernadine Bezuidenhout (wicket-keeper), Carol Agafili, Eve Wolland, Sam Curtis, Jess Watkin, Marama Downes, Tash Wakelin, Yasmeen Kareem, Caitlin Gurrey (wicket-keeper), Holly Topp (wicket-keeper), Jesse Prasad, Kayley Knight, Lucy Boucher, Nensi Patel, Shriya Naidu
Otago Sparks: Felicity Leydon-Davis (captain), Caitlin Blakely, Olivia Gain, Poppy-Jay Watkins, Gemma Adams, Harriett Cuttance, Saffron Wilson, Suzie Bates, Bella James (wicket-keeper), Polly Inglis (wicket-keeper), Chloe Deerness, Eden Carson, Emma Black, Hayley Jensen, Louisa Kotkamp, Molly Loe, Paige Loggenberg, Sophie Oldershaw
Wellington Blaze: Amelia Kerr (captain), Caitlin King, Gemma Sims, Georgia Plimmer, Rebecca Burns, Hannah R Francis, Kate Chandler, Nicole Baird, Phoenix Williams, Rachel Bryant, Sophie Devine, Antonia Hamilton (wicket-keeper), Jessica McFadyen (wicket-keeper), Jess Kerr, Leigh Kasperek, Monique Rees, Natasha Codyre, Xara Jetly
As the Women’s Super Smash 2023-24 unfolds, fans can expect a captivating blend of skill, strategy, and sheer cricketing prowess. With each team striving for supremacy and the defending champions looking to maintain their dominance, the tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle for cricket aficionados and a platform for emerging talents to make their mark on the grand stage of women’s T20 cricket in New Zealand.