1997 Women's Cricket World Cup

Dates	9 – 29 December 1997
Administrator(s)	International Women's Cricket Council
Cricket format	Women's One Day International
Tournament format(s)	Round robin and Knockout
Host(s)	India
Champions	Australia (4th title)
Runners-up	New Zealand
Participants	11
Matches	33
Most runs	Debbie Hockley (456)
Most wickets	Katrina Keenan (13)
← 1993 2000 →

The 1997 Women's Cricket World Cup, also known as the Hero Honda Women's World Cup, was the sixth edition of the Women's Cricket World Cup, held in India. With 32 matches^[1] involving a record 11 teams^[2] across 25 cricket grounds,^[3] England, Australia, New Zealand and India reached the semi-finals, with Australia and New Zealand progressing to the final match, which was played on 29 December 1997. Australia defeated New Zealand by five wickets to win their fourth championship title.

The 1997 World Cup also set a number of records for the tournament. In their match against Denmark, Australia scored the highest team score in a World Cup, 412/3, and achieved the largest winning margin in a World Cup, 363 runs.^[4][5] In the same match, Australia's Belinda Clark scored 229*, the highest individual score in a World Cup.^[6] Australia also bowled out Pakistan for 27 in 82 balls, the shortest completed innings in a Women's One Day International.^[7]

1997 Women's Cricket World Cup venues^[3]

Venue	City	Matches	Map
Eden Gardens	Kolkata	1	Kolkata Agar Delhi Mysore Secunderabad Vijayawada New Delhi Lucknow Hyderabad Bangalore Chennai Mumbai Patna Faridabad Ghaziabad Gurgaon Indore Pune Chandigarh Vadodara Nagpur class=notpageimage| Venue locations within India
Eklavya Sports Stadium	Agra	1
Feroz Shah Kotla	Delhi	1
Gangothri Glades Cricket Ground	Mysore	1
Gymkhana Ground	Secunderabad	1
Harbaksh Stadium	Delhi	2
Indira Gandhi Stadium	Vijayawada	1
Jamia Millia Islamia University Ground	New Delhi	1
K.D.Singh Babu Stadium	Lucknow	1
Karnail Singh Stadium	Delhi	1
Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium	Hyderabad	2
M.Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bangalore	1
MA Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai	2
Middle Income Group Club Ground	Mumbai	1
Moin-ul-Haq Stadium	Patna	1
Nahar Singh Stadium	Faridabad	1
Mohan Meakins Cricket Stadium	Ghaziabad	1
Nehru Stadium	Gurgaon	1
Nehru Stadium	Indore	1
Nehru Stadium	Pune	2
Punjab C.A. Stadium	Chandigarh	1
Reliance Stadium	Vadodara	2
Sector 16 Stadium	Chandigarh	2
Vidarbha C.A. Ground	Nagpur	1
Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai	1
Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium	Mohali	1
Gymkhana Ground	Hyderabad	1

The competition began with twenty-five matches between 11 teams, the highest participation of any Women's Cricket World Cup to date.^[8] After these matches, Australia, England, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, India, South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand reached the quarter finals stage, while Denmark, Pakistan and the West Indies were eliminated.^[2] The first three matches of this stage were rained off without a ball being bowled, due to torrential storms on 9 and 10 December.^[1]

Team	Pld	W	L	T	NR	Pts
Australia	5	4	0	0	1	27
England	5	4	1	0	0	24
South Africa	5	3	2	0	0	18
Ireland	5	2	2	0	1	15
Denmark	5	1	4	0	0	6
Pakistan	5	0	5	0	0	0

10 December 1997 Scorecard

Australia	v	Ireland

Match Abandoned M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Umpires: S. V. Ramani and T. R. Kashyappan

• No toss.
• No play possible due to rain.
• Points: Australia Women 3, Ireland Women 3

10 December 1997 Scorecard

Pakistan  65 (30.4 overs)	v	Denmark 66/2 (29.3 overs)
Maliha Hussain 13 (52) Susanne Nielsen 4/9 (10 overs)		Malene Iversen 21 (73) Kiran Baluch 2/13 (7 overs)

Denmark Women won by 8 wickets Gangotri Glades Cricket Ground, Mysore Umpires: Shavir Tarapore and V Mouli Player of the match: Susanne Nielsen (Den)

• Denmark Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Sadia Butt, Asma Farzand, Shazia Hassan, Ruksana Khan, Nazia Nazir and Nazia Sadiq (Pak) all made their WODI debuts.
• Points: Denmark Women 6, Pakistan Women 0

10 December 1997 Scorecard

England  94/7 (20 overs)	v	South Africa 87/9 (20 overs)
Charlotte Edwards 38 (50) Kim Price 2/17 (4 overs)		Kim Price 15* (12) Charlotte Edwards 3/15 (3 overs)

England Women won by 7 runs Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: Chandra Kumar and O. Krishna Player of the match: Charlotte Edwards (Eng)

• South Africa Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 20 overs per side due to rain.
• Elizabeth Akehurst (SA) made her WODI debut.
• Points: England Women 6, South Africa Women 0

12 December 1997 Scorecard

South Africa  163/9 (50 overs)	v	Australia 167/0 (28.5 overs)
Linda Olivier 51 (92) Charmaine Mason 2/22 (10 overs)		Belinda Clark 93* (98)

Australia Women won by 10 wickets M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore Umpires: Sadanand Viswanath and Salemohammad Yusuf Player of the match: Belinda Clark (Aus)

• South Africa Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Belinda Dermota (SA) made her WODI debut.
• Points: Australia Women 6, South Africa Women 0

12 December 1997 Scorecard

Denmark  56/7 (23 overs)	v	Ireland 57/1 (19.1 overs)
Jette Philipsen 10 (43) Barbara McDonald 3/12 (5 overs)		Nikki Squire 21* (62) Janni Jonsson 1/18 (5 overs)

Ireland Women won by 9 wickets M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Umpires: KR Shankar and S Balachandran Player of the match: Barbara McDonald (Ire)

• Denmark Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Match reduced to 23 overs per side due to rain.
• Heather Whelan (Ire) made her WODI debut.
• Points: Ireland Women 6, Denmark Women 0

12 December 1997 Scorecard

England  376/2 (50 overs)	v	Pakistan 146/3 (47 overs)
Barbara Daniels 142* (103) Shaiza Khan 1/64 (9 overs)		Sharmeen Khan 41 (68) Melissa Reynard 2/36 (10 overs)

England Women won by 230 runs Indira Gandhi Stadium, Vijayawada Umpires: G. A. Pratapkumar and Surya Prakash Rao Player of the match: Jan Brittin (Eng)

• Pakistan Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Pakistan Women were penalised three overs for a slow over rate.
• Deebah Sherazi (Pak) made her WODI debut.
• Points: England Women 6, Pakistan Women 0

14 December 1997 Scorecard

Pakistan  27 (13.4 overs)	v	Australia 28/1 (6.1 overs)
Kiran Ahtazaz 11* (12) Olivia Magno 3/0 (1.4 overs)		Michelle Goszko 18* (25)

Australia Women won by 9 wickets Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad Umpires: K. Parthasarathy and Ramesh Jadhav Player of the match: Olivia Magno (Aus)

• Pakistan Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Kiran Ahtazaz (Pak) made her WODI debut.
• Points: Australia Women 6, Pakistan Women 0
• Pakistan Women's 27 all out in 82 balls is the shortest completed innings in a Women's One Day International.^[7]

14 December 1997 Scorecard

England  301/4 (50 overs)	v	Denmark 107/7 (50 overs)
Helen Plimmer 87 (104) Susanne Nielsen 2/51 (10 overs)		Karin Mikkelsen 39* (82) Clare Taylor 2/12 (10 overs)

England Women won by 194 runs Gymkhana Ground, Hyderabad Umpires: Ivaturi Shivram and V. K. Ramaswamy Player of the match: Helen Plimmer (Eng)

• Denmark Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: England Women 6, Denmark Women 0

14 December 1997 Scorecard

Ireland  155 (43.1 overs)	v	South Africa 156/1 (27.5 overs)
Miriam Grealey 57 (–) Denise Reid 3/27 (7.1 overs)		Linda Olivier 78* (–) Catherine O'Neill 1/43 (10 overs)

South Africa Women won by 9 wickets Nehru Stadium, Pune Player of the match: Linda Olivier (SA)

• South Africa Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: South Africa Women 6, Ireland Women 0

16 December 1997 Scorecard

Australia  412/3 (50 overs)	v	Denmark 49 (25.5 overs)
Belinda Clark 229* (155) Dorte Christiansen 2/77 (10 overs)		Dorte Christiansen 9 (57) Karen Rolton 3/9 (3.5 overs)

Australia Women won by 363 runs Middle Income Group Club Ground, Mumbai Umpires: M. R. Singh and S. K. Sharma Player of the match: Belinda Clark (Aus)

• Australia Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: Australia Women 6, Denmark Women 0
• Belinda Clark's 229* is the highest individual score in a Women's Cricket World Cup.^[6]
• Australia Women's 412/3 is the highest team score in a Women's Cricket World Cup.^[4]
• Australia Women's winning margin of 363 runs is the largest winning margin in a Women's Cricket World Cup.^[5]

16 December 1997 Scorecard

England  324/3 (50 overs)	v	Ireland 116 (41.1 overs)
Charlotte Edwards 173* (155) Catherine O'Neill 1/34 (10 overs)		Caitriona Beggs 49 (110) Melissa Reynard 4/6 (4.1 overs)

England Women won by 208 runs Nehru Stadium, Pune Player of the match: Charlotte Edwards (Eng)

• England Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: England Women 6, Ireland Women 0

16 December 1997 Scorecard

South Africa  258/7 (50 overs)	v	Pakistan 109 (40 overs)
Ally Kuylaars 74* (63) Ruksana Khan 2/43 (8 overs)		Sharmeen Khan 48 (77) Kerri Laing 3/4 (2 overs)

South Africa Women won by 149 runs IPCL Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara Umpires: C. R. Mohite and Ravi Deshmukh Player of the match: Ally Kuylaars (SA)

• South Africa Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Anne Stears and Karin Swart (SA) both made their WODI debuts.
• Points: South Africa Women 6, Pakistan Women 0

18 December 1997 Scorecard

England  95 (49.4 overs)	v	Australia 96/2 (26.5 overs)
Barbara Daniels 23 (46) Olivia Magno 4/10 (9 overs)		Michelle Goszko 51* (74) Clare Taylor 1/20 (9 overs)

Australia Women won by 8 wickets Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur Umpires: Deepak Kumar Kar and Suhas Phadkar Player of the match: Olivia Magno (Aus)

• England Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: Australia Women 6, England Women 0

18 December 1997 Scorecard

South Africa  213/6 (50 overs)	v	Denmark 114 (46.2 overs)
Linda Olivier 51 (92) Mette Gregersen 2/30 (5 overs)		Mette Frost 29 (96) Ally Kuylaars 2/15 (6.2 overs)

South Africa Women won by 99 runs IPCL Sports Complex Ground, Vadodara Umpires: C. R. Mohite and Dilip Kamath Player of the match: Cindy Eksteen (SA)

• Denmark Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: South Africa Women 6, Denmark Women 0

18 December 1997 Scorecard

Ireland  242/7 (50 overs)	v	Pakistan 60 (30.3 overs)
Miriam Grealey 62 (66) Shaiza Khan 3/42 (10 overs)		Maliha Hussain 11 (69) Catherine O'Neill 4/10 (10 overs)

Ireland Women won by 182 runs Nehru Stadium, Gurgaon Umpires: Des Raj and S. K. Bansal Player of the match: Catherine O'Neill (Ire)

• Pakistan Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Tracey Skoyles (Ire) made her WODI debut.
• Points: Ireland Women 6, Pakistan Women 0

Team	Pld	W	L	T	NR	Pts
New Zealand	4	3	0	1	0	21
India	4	2	0	1	1	18
Netherlands	4	1	2	0	1	9
Sri Lanka	4	1	2	0	1	9
West Indies	4	0	3	0	1	3

9 December 1997 Scorecard

India	v	Sri Lanka

Match Abandoned Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi Umpires: Des Raj and Raman Sharma

• No toss.
• No play possible due to rain.
• Points: India Women 3, Sri Lanka Women 3

9 December 1997 Scorecard

Netherlands	v	West Indies

Match Abandoned Eklavya Sports Stadium, Agra Umpires: Devinder Sharma and Kamal Juneja

• No toss.
• No play possible due to rain.
• Points: Netherlands Women 3, West Indies Women 3

11 December 1997 Scorecard

Netherlands  48/8 (20 overs)	v	New Zealand 49/2 (8.1 overs)
Pauline te Beest 20 (35) Katrina Keenan 2/6 (4 overs)		Debbie Hockley 20 (12) Nicola Payne 2/26 (4 overs)

New Zealand Women won by 8 wickets Mohan Meakins Cricket Stadium, Ghaziabad Umpires: R. P. Singh and Vijay Chopra

• New Zealand Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 20 overs per side due to rain.
• Points: New Zealand Women 6, Netherlands Women 0

11 December 1997 Scorecard

West Indies  79 (29.4 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 81/4 (30.3 overs)
Eugena Gregg 16 (23) Thalika Gunaratne 4/6 (5.4 overs)		Vasanthi Ratnayake 24 (37) Desiree Luke 2/12 (10 overs)

Sri Lanka Women won by 6 wickets Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi Umpires: M. S. Mahal and Rajan Seth Player of the match: Thalika Gunaratne (SL)

• Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Verena Felicien, Ann McEwen, Gwen Smith, Brenda Solzano-Rodney and Envis Williams (WI) all made their WODI debuts.
• Points: Sri Lanka Women 6, West Indies Women 0

13 December 1997 Scorecard

India  145/7 (40 overs)	v	West Indies 83 (33.2 overs)
Anju Jain 42 (101) Carol-Ann James 2/14 (8 overs)		Carol-Ann James 24 (70) Purnima Choudhary 5/21 (8 overs)

India Women won by 62 runs Nahar Singh Stadium, Faridabad Umpires: Maninder Singh and Yashpal Sharma Player of the match: Purnima Choudhary (Ind)

• West Indies Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 40 overs per side due to rain.
• Purnima Choudhary, Deepa Marathe (Ind) and Roselyn Emmanuel (WI) all made their WODI debuts.
• Points: India Women 6, West Indies Women 0

13 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  236/3 (50 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 71 (47.4 overs)
Debbie Hockley 100* (147) Dona Indralatha 1/42 (9 overs)		Rasanjali Silva 19 (31) Kelly Brown 2/8 (7.4 overs)

New Zealand Women won by 165 runs Sector 16 Stadium, Chandigarh Umpires: Jasbir Singh and Harnarain Sekhon Player of the match: Debbie Hockley (NZ)

• Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: New Zealand Women 6, Sri Lanka Women 0

15 December 1997 Scorecard

India  175/8 (40 overs)	v	Netherlands 82/9 (40 overs)
Anju Jain 35 (78) Ariette van Noortwijk 4/25 (8 overs)		Maartje Köster 18 (54) Purnima Rau 2/4 (5 overs)

India Women won by 93 runs Mohan Meakins Cricket Stadium, Ghaziabad Umpires: Satish Gupta and Subhash Mathur Player of the match: Ariette van Noortwijk (Net)

• Netherlands Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 40 overs per side due to rain.
• Points: India Women 6, Netherlands Women 0

15 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  253/9 (50 overs)	v	West Indies 55 (28.3 overs)
Debbie Hockley 100 (112) Desiree Luke 3/57 (10 overs)		Carol-Ann James 18* (58) Katrina Keenan 4/5 (10 overs)

New Zealand Women won by 198 runs Sector 16 Stadium, Chandigarh Umpires: Jasbir Singh and Harnarain Sekhon Player of the match: Debbie Hockley (NZ)

• West Indies Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Lorna McKoy (WI) made her WODI debut.
• Points: New Zealand Women 6, West Indies Women 0

17 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  176/9 (50 overs)	v	India 176 (49.1 overs)
Emily Drumm 69 (98) Purnima Rau 3/35 (10 overs)		Anju Jain 61 (119) Clare Nicholson 2/21 (10 overs)

Match Tied Nehru Stadium, Indore Umpires: Narendra Menon and Sudhir Asnani Player of the match: Anju Jain (Ind)

• New Zealand Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Points: India Women 3, New Zealand Women 3

17 December 1997 Scorecard

Netherlands  138 (45.3 overs)	v	Sri Lanka 91 (45.2 overs)
Nicola Payne 55 (102) Suthershini Sivanantham 4/18 (7.3 overs)		Dona Indralatha 32 (64) Sandra Kottman 4/24 (10 overs)

Netherlands Women won by 47 runs Jamia Millia Islamia University Ground, Delhi Umpires: Arun Bharadwaj and Surya Prakash Rao

• Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Points: Netherlands Women 6, Sri Lanka 0

20 December 1997 Scorecard

West Indies  229/5 (45 overs)	v	Denmark 128 (40 overs)
Carol-Ann James 99* (95) Malene Brock 2/38 (9 overs)		Mette Frost 37 (59) Carol-Ann James 3/16 (9 overs)

West Indies Women won by 101 runs Harbax Singh Stadium, Delhi Umpires: Devinder Sharma and Krishna Hariharan Player of the match: Carol-Ann James (WI)

• Denmark Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Match reduced to 45 overs per side due to rain.

20 December 1997 Scorecard

Australia  223/4 (50 overs)	v	Netherlands 108/6 (50 overs)
Bronwyn Calver 76 (108) Caroline Rambaldo 2/28 (8 overs)		Ariette van Noortwijk 17 (54) Bronwyn Calver 1/3 (4 overs)

Australia Women won by 115 runs K. D. Singh Babu Stadium, Lucknow Umpires: Satish Gupta and Subhash Mathur Player of the match: Bronwyn Calver (Aus)

• Australia Women won the toss and elected to bat.

21 December 1997 Scorecard

Sri Lanka  104 (43.2 overs)	v	England 105/1 (22.1 overs)
Vanessa Bowen 38 (100) Charlotte Edwards 3/21 (7 overs)		Charlotte Edwards 57 (65) Dona Indralatha 1/17 (4 overs)

England Women won by 9 wickets Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali Umpires: Jasbir Singh and Sekhon Player of the match: Charlotte Edwards (Eng)

• Sri Lanka Women won the toss and elected to bat.
• Match was reduced to 46 overs per side due to rain.

22 December 1997 Scorecard

South Africa  80 (43.1 overs)	v	India 81/5 (28 overs)
Daleen Terblanche 25 (56) Deepa Marathe 2/4 (9.1 overs)		Purnima Rau 24 (40) Kim Price 2/3 (5 overs)

India Women won by 5 wickets Moin-ul-Haq Stadium, Patna

• South Africa Women won the toss and elected to bat.

23 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  244/3 (50 overs)	v	Ireland 105/9 (50 overs)
Debbie Hockley 70 (118) Clare Shillington 1/33 (8 overs)		Adele Spence 18* (35) Kelly Brown 2/12 (9 overs)

New Zealand won by 139 runs Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Umpires: Sameer Bandekar and Borni Jamula Player of the match: Debbie Hockley (NZ)

• New Zealand Women won the toss and elected to bat.

24 December 1997 Scorecard

Australia  123/7 (32 overs)	v	India 104/9 (30 overs)
Joanne Broadbent 33 (77) Pramila Bhatt 3/25 (7 overs)		Chanderkanta Kaul 48 (78) Cathryn Fitzpatrick 3/18 (7 overs)

Australia Women won by 19 runs Harbax Singh Stadium, Delhi Umpires: Des Raj and Yashpal Sharma Player of the match: Cathryn Fitzpatrick (Aus)

• India Women won the toss and elected to field.
• Bad light reduced the match to 32 overs a side.
• India were penalised by two overs for a slow over rate.

India and Australia both qualified for the semi-finals, and faced each other on Christmas Eve at Delhi. The start of the match was delayed by two hours and 15 minutes due to bad light, and as a result each side was given 32 overs to bat.^[9] India won the toss, and captain Pramila Bhatt chose to field first. Australia, put into bat, began well with an opening partnership of 66 between captain Belinda Clark (31) and Joanne Broadbent (33). Bhatt herself broke the partnership, reducing Australia from 66/0 to 83/3, claiming the wickets of Mel Jones (5) and Michelle Goszko (0), and ending with figures of 3/25.^[9] A knock of 23 from Karen Rolton and support from Bronwyn Calver (11) saw Australia past 100, however both Olivia Magno and Charmaine Mason were stumped by Anju Jain off the bowling of Neetu David for ducks, and Australia managed 123 from their 32 overs. For slow bowling, two overs were deducted from India's batting innings.^[9]

India's reply did not begin well, falling to 24/2 with both Jain and Anjum Chopra out cheaply for 18 and two, respectively. Chanderkanta Kaul scored 48, however only two other players reached double figures, and together with Smitha Harikrishna and Renu Margrate (both scoring one) they were all run out. Bhatt hit six runs before she was bowled by Cathryn Fitzpatrick, who took 3/18. India's last three players all failed to score. The hosts fell 19 runs short by the end of their 30 overs on 104/9.^[9]

26 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  175/6 (50 overs)	v	England 155 (47.5 overs)
Debbie Hockley 43 (104) Karen Smithies 3/40 (10 overs)		Jan Brittin 32 (88) Clare Nicholson 2/29 (10 overs)

New Zealand Women won by 20 runs M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk Umpires: N Muralidaran and P Venkatesan Player of the match: Debbie Hockley (NZ)

• New Zealand women won the toss and elected to bat.

On Boxing Day, the defending champions England, and New Zealand faced each other in the second semi final at Chepauk, in Chennai. New Zealand won the toss, and captain Maia Lewis chose to bat first. New Zealand lost the early wicket of Emily Drumm for four, however they went on to a score of 93 before another wicket fell. Debbie Hockley top scored with 43, and Shelley Fruin (29), Katrina Keenan (35) and 28 extras took New Zealand to 175/6 from their 50 overs.^[10] England's bowlers bowled economically, with three going at economy rates of under 2.90, and medium-pacer Karen Smithies took 3/40.^[10]

England, set 176 runs from 49 overs, having been fined one over for their own slow over rate, reached 100 for the loss of four wickets, with Charlotte Edwards scoring 25, Jan Brittin 32 and Barbara Daniels 30.^[10] Only two other players reached double figures, however, as England slumped from 100/4 to 155 all out from 47.5 overs. Clare Nicholson took 2/29 for New Zealand, with Katrina Keenan, Hockley, Catherine Campbell and Sarah McLauchlan taking one wicked each, and the remaining four England players being run out. This gave New Zealand a 20 run victory, and they progressed to the finals.^[10]

29 December 1997 Scorecard

New Zealand  164 (49.3 overs)	v	Australia 165/5 (47.4 overs)
Debbie Hockley 79 (121) Bronwyn Calver 2/29 (10 overs)		Belinda Clark 52 (81) Katrina Keenan 2/23 (10 overs)

Australia Women won by 5 wickets Eden Gardens, Calcutta Umpires: Aloke Bhattacharjee and S Choudhary Player of the match: Debbie Hockley (NZ)

• New Zealand Women won the toss and elected to bat.

The final between Australia and New Zealand took place on 29 December at Eden Gardens in Calcutta, in front of an estimated crowd of at least 50–60,000 spectators.^[11] New Zealand won the toss, with captain Maia Lewis choosing to bat first. New Zealand began poorly, losing Emily Drumm, Shelley Fruin and Katrina Keenan for six, eight and five respectively, reaching 49/3.^[12] Debbie Hockley, New Zealand's opener, scored 79 (48%) of her team score, as New Zealand eventually reached 164 all out from 49.3 overs. Hockley was one of only three New Zealand players to score in double figures, captain Lewis and wicket-keeper Rebecca Rolls scoring 10 and 18 respectively.^[12]

Australia bowled well, Bronwyn Calver, Karen Rolton and Charmaine Mason taking two wickets each, with Cathryn Fitzpatrick taking 1/22 off ten overs, including that of Hockley's wicket. Australia were set 165 runs to win, and began solidly, reaching 107/2 with Belinda Clark reaching 52 before being caught and bowled by Catherine Campbell. Knocks of 37 from Michelle Goszko and Karen Rolton's 24 enabled Australia to reach 165/5 from 47.4 overs, three minutes quicker than the New Zealand innings of 176 minutes.^[12] The New Zealand bowlers shared two wickets each between Keenan and Kathryn Ramel, with the former the most economical, taking 2/23 at 2.30 an over, however they could not prevent Australia's victory.^[12]

• Highest totals: Australia 412/3.^[13]
• Most runs: Debbie Hockley (NZ) 456 runs.^[14]
• Highest score: Belinda Clark (Aus) 229*.^[15]
• Highest average: Belinda Clark (Aus) 148.33.^[16]
• Most hundreds: Debbie Hockley (NZ) Two.^[17]
• Most fifties: Debbie Hockley (NZ) Two.^[18]
• Most ducks: Thanuga Ekanayake (SL) Three.^[19]

• Most wickets: Katrina Keenan (NZ) 13.^[20]
• Best bowling figures in an innings: Purnima Choudhary (IND) 5/21.^[21]
• Best averages: Jodi Dannatt (Aus) 7.25.^[22]
• Best economy rate: Sangita Dabir (IND) 1.5.^[23]
• Best strike rate: Denise Reid (SA) 14.3.^[24]
• Most four-wickets-in-an-innings: Suthershini Sivanantham (SL) One.^[25]
• Most five-wickets-in-an-innings: Purnima Choudhary (IND) One.^[26]
• Best economy rates in an innings: Avril Fahey (AUS) 0.2. (5 overs)^[27]
• Best strike rate in an innings: Olivia Magno (AUS) 3.3.^[28]
• Most runs conceded in an innings: Susanne Nielsen (DEN) 77 (10 overs).^[29]

• Most dismissals: Jane Smit (ENG) 13.^[30]
• Most dismissals in an innings: Jane Smit (ENG) Four.^[31]

• Most catches: Nicola Payne (NZ) Six.^[32]
• Most catches in an innings: Kathryn Ramel (NZ) Three.^[33]

• Highest partnership: Janette Brittin and Barbara Daniels (ENG) 203.^[34]

• Hero Honda Women's World Cup from ESPNcricinfo
• The Game Changers: An oral history of Australia's 1997 World Cup winners, Part I" Archived 9 April 2020 at the Wayback Machine, "Part II" and "Part III" – retrospective by the Australian Cricketers' Association (published in 2020)