New Zealand have strengthened their coaching setup in a bid to claim the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 by hiring Craig McMillan on a full-time basis. McMillan returns after joining the team on a part-time contract last year, helping the White Ferns to Women’s T20 World Cup success in UAE.
The former Black Caps all-rounder will support the women’s side across batting and fielding departments alongside Ben Sawyer and Dean Brownlie, with his appointment officially beginning this week.
The new role will see McMillan dedicate his time solely to the White Ferns and the female Players of Interest programme, as he steps back from his successful commentary career and other coaching commitments.
Craig McMillan Reacts To His Appointment Ahead Of Women’s ODI World Cup
Craig McMillan, who was with the side during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 win in the UAE, said he was delighted to take the job on full-time.
“I’m over the moon to be in this role with the White Ferns. The women’s game is going from strength to strength, and I’m excited to continue to work with our talented players and help them reach their goals,” said McMillan upon the announcement.
“The last year has gone so quickly and I’ve loved every minute of being part of a team that continues to improve, challenge one another, and does special things on the world stage,” he added.
Notably, the White Ferns have been extensive in their preparation for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka. They travelled to Chennai in August for a training camp in a bid to adapt to spin-friendly conditions.
The 48-year-old McMillan feels that the build-up puts the side in a strong position as they aim to add to their trophy cabinet, having won the T20 World Cup in a comparable climate.
“It’s been a busy period leading into the 50-over World Cup. We’ve had a number of camps including one in Chennai which exposed the players to Indian conditions like what they’ll face in October-November,” he said.
“The team is pumped to get back to India and take on another World Cup,” he added.
New Zealand will begin their Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 campaign against Australia on October 1 at Indore.