Mount Maunganui: Mithali Raj will be eager to get her hands on a maiden title in what would be her last hurrah for India at the world stage, Heather Knight will hope to defend it while Meg Lanning seems primed to lead Australia to a 'Magnificent Seventh' when the ICC Women's World Cup gets underway here on Friday.
The tournament, which was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be played across six venues with the ICC deciding that teams will stay in a 'managed environment' instead of stringent bio-bubbles.
The marquee event will be played in the league format, where all eight teams will face each other once with the top four sides qualifying for the semifinals.
India, who were runners-up in the last edition and in 2005, open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan, while hosts New Zealand, who won the title in 2000, will take on West Indies in the tournament opener.
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Australia, the most successful side with six titles, will meet defending champions England, who have been crowned champions four times.
The month-long event will see young stars and veterans come together. While the likes of Mithali, Jhulan Goswami, Suzie Bates and Megan Schutt will look to add to their already glittering legacies, teenagers including Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Fran Jones and Darcie Brown will be eager to make one.
Here's a look at the eight contenders:
AUSTRALIA
Hurt by the shock semifinal loss to India in 2017, six-time champions Australia have left no stone unturned in their quest for an unprecedented seventh title.
Such has been Australia's dominance in the past four years in the 50-over format that the Southern stars have lost just one ODI in their last 30 games.
Labelled favourites, Australia head to the World Cup on the back of a dominating 3-0 ODI series victory against arch-rivals England in the Ashes.
Ellyse Perry, who has dominated with bat and ball at World Cups since 2009, has recaptured her best form with a commanding all-round display recently.
In Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Perry and Beth Mooney, Australia have plenty of experience at the top while the likes of Ashleigh Gardner and Jess Jonassen will be tasked to play the big shot towards the end, making for a strong batting unit.
INDIA
Runners up in the last edition, India will be keen to go one step ahead and claim the title that has eluded them, specially skipper Mithali and veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, who will be playing their last World Cup.
India were staring at a demoralising 5-0 whitewash at the hands of New Zealand but have been able to turn things around by winning the final match of the series while also emerging victorious in their warm-up games.
While Mithali and Goswami continue to play pivotal roles in the team, young Richa Ghosh has shone in recent series. Star opener Smriti Mandhana is also in good nick while the talismanic Harmanpreet Kaur, considered a big-event player, has also found her groove and is expected to set the stage ablaze.
ENGLAND
The defending champions and the second most successful team in the history of the tournament, England will be eager to retain their crown.
Despite the recent Ashes white-wash, England has been one of the most successful sides in women's ODIs since the end of the last World Cup.
Kate Cross will be making her much-awaited debut. She has picked up the most wickets for England since 2019 at an average of 17.24 and an economy rate just above four runs per over. A lot will be expected of the seamer.
Another key player for England will be Tammy Beaumont, who was the Player of the tournament in the last edition. The opener has continued her rich vein of form.
NEW ZEALAND