Jacob Oram returns home from Women's World Cup after Covid-19 cases in family

New Zealand Women assistant coach Jacob Oram has left the squad to return to his family after receiving news of his wife and two children testing positive for Covid-19.

White ferns head coach Bob Carer was fully supportive of Oram's decision to leave the tournament midway. “Ultimately, family is the most important thing, so we fully support Jacob and his need to return home and care for his loved ones,” Carter said.

The duo of Sophie Devine and Lea Tahuhu who suffered back and hamstring injuries respectively during their previous game against England will be medically assessed ahead of their final group stage game against Pakistan at the Hagley Oval on Saturday (March 26). 

New Zealand have lost four of their six matches so far and their chances of progressing to the next round hangs by the thread. A win against Pakistan may still not be enough to take them through.

They started the tournament off well, winning two of their first three matches, but have succumbed to three successive losses since then.