All the action as the White Ferns begin their Twenty20 World Cup defence, against the West Indies in Southampton.Have White Ferns been shortchanged by world champion status?You’ll never hear them say it, but the White Ferns would be well within their rights to feel shortchanged in their right to call themselves Twenty20 world champions.While most sports operate in four-year cycles with a World Cup at the end, cricket’s crammed calendar means pinnacle events take place much more frequently.It was only November last year that India claimed the women’s 50-over World Cup, which itself was 13 months after the White Ferns beat South Africa to lift the T20 World Cup in October 2024.That, then, means that instead of a four-year run of being able to call themselves world champions, the White Ferns have had exactly 600 days with the tag, before this year’s tournament began in England on Saturday (NZT).What’s more, after this year’s T20 World Cup, the White Ferns will have the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in 2027, another T20 World Cup in 2028 and 50-over World Cup in 2029.But while others might complain of a shorter, two-year run as champions, White Ferns captain Melie Kerr gratefully accepts the chance to play in pinnacle events as regularly as possible, as New Zealand open their campaign on Sunday morning against the West Indies.“It’s an interesting one,” she said. “It’s just such a cool opportunity that we get to play in high-pressure tournaments so often.New Zealand White Fern Suzie Bates lifts the trophy as players celebrate winning the Women's T20 World Cup.