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Sophie's simply Devine, but beware the Kiwis' whiz kid

Veteran leggie and former Aussie rep Kristen Beams looks at a couple of New Zealand x-factors ahead of Monday's showdown with Australia

Leg-spinner Kristen Beams played one Test, 30 ODIs and 18 T20 Internationals for Australia between 2014 and 2018

Best in the world?

A talking point during the New Zealand versus India game on Thursday boiled down to a couple of questions: Who is the best T20 player in the world right now? And what skill-set do you need to dominate this format?

The unanimous answer to the first question in the commentary box was White Ferns opener Sophie Devine.

If we were Brad Pitt in Moneyball, we could look at the numbers to support Devine's case. Her recent world record streak of six consecutive T20I half-centuries might be Exhibit A.

But there's more to it than numbers.

Devine can impact the game in every way possible.

Unbeaten Devine keeps strong form rolling

Firstly, she is one of the most dangerous batters in the competition because she can hit over the boundary riders with ease, which is simply a bowlers' nightmare.

What Devine has also developed is an ability to 'go through the gears'; she is more content than ever to face dot balls, knowing she can well and truly catch up – if she is batting at the back-end of the innings, New Zealand will win more games than they lose. 

This is a big shift for her; having gone head-to-head with Sophie in the past, you always felt you were in the game – that there was every chance you would get taken for boundaries but that you could get her out in the same over.

And that is what keeps you interested as a bowler in this format. You know you're going to get hit – it's the nature of the game – but you can also shift the momentum by taking a wicket.

But nowadays Devine is taking the momentum and holding on to it, and that is a trait of the best players in the world.

Devastating Devine smacks five consecutive sixes

If her batting wasn't enough, she is also New Zealand most important bowler.

Why? Variations. And not just variations, but good variations that can counter most batters: the short ball, slower balls and her reliable stock ball.

The best description I've heard is that she bowls a 'heavy ball'. For those wondering what that vague but oft-used term actually means, think of it like this: she bowls into the wicket, it feels a bit quicker than what you think and her natural length hits high on the bat, making it harder for batters to hit through the line of the ball.

What makes her so important is that she can bowl in the three phases of the game, which is gold for the captain.

And guess what? She is the captain. Having taken the reins in the absence of Amy Satterthwaite, she has done a great job. There are always questions about players' form when they take on the top job, but from what we have seen with Devine, it might have just made her an even better player.

So all this leads to another question: How do you stop Sophie Devine?

Maybe the mankad? A dirty half-tracker? A run-out?

Most bowlers look to keep it as simple as bowling at the stumps with a change of pace – she misses, you hit!

And every time the ball goes out to the sweeper for one, you can count that as a win, because keeping her away from the strike will be key to ensuring teams can minimise her influence.

The White Ferns' teen sensation

A player I'd like to see higher up in the New Zealand batting lineup to compliment Devine is Amelia Kerr.

There is no doubt Kerr is the future of the New Zealand team and what we saw in her cameo against India (34no off 19, and 2-21) was a cool, calm and collected player who can find the boundary with ease.

Post this tournament I'd like to see her elevated to number three and provided the same opportunity as Ash Gardner for Australia.

But batting is her second skill set, with her most important role in the side being the No.1 spinner. I firmly believe Kerr, who is a leg-spinner, stands alongside India's Poonam Yadav as one of the best spinners in the competition.

What makes these two players so good is their ability to spin the ball away from both the right- and left-handers.

It gives great flexibility to captains knowing they can call upon these leggies at any time, with most teams trying to get right/left-handed combinations in the middle to disrupt the bowler's lines.

Yadav and Kerr have similarities but also some differences, with the New Zealander taller and slightly faster through the air. She is tougher to use her feet against and will get a bit more bounce then her Indian counterpart, making her harder to hit down the ground.

Teen spin sensation shows off all-round talent

Yadav has been outstanding so far in this tournament, with her wrong'un her chief weapon. Even her bad balls are taking wickets – what a dream!

People have been asking how to best counter the skill of Yadav. Well ironically I see the way Kerr played her fellow leggie as the blueprint for other countries.

The 19-year-old's tactic of getting deep in her crease and opening up the leg side was a move that paid off, with Yadav preferring to keep square leg up inside the ring.

Kerr moved around her crease and was able to disrupt Yadav's line and length; in doing so she stole back the momentum and almost pulled off an unlikely victory. There is no doubt teams will be watching that vision and adjusting their plans.

Australia, of course, will be one such team ahead of Monday's huge game in Melbourne. The Junction Oval wicket has been playing a little slower than teams were expecting, though I assume a fresh wicket will be produced for Monday, which will mean pace and bounce – a batters' dream. And why wouldn't that be the case? After all, as we always say – it's a batters' game!

2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Australia squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Erin Burns, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy (wk), Jess Jonassen, Delissa Kimmince, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham

February 21:India won by 17 runs

February 24: Australia won by five wickets

February 27: Australia won by 86 runs 

March 2: Australia v New Zealand, Junction Oval

March 5: Semi-final 1 & Semi-final 2, SCG

March 8: Final, MCG

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE

* All matches will be broadcast on Fox Cricket and Kayo, while Australia’s matches will also be broadcast on the Nine Network