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New Zealand won their first T20 World Cup title this morning with a 32-run victory at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Kiwis got off to a solid start with the bat through the top three of Georgia Plimmer, Suzie Bates, and Amelia Kerr.
Plimmer managed to strike a couple of fours in the first over off Marizanne Kapp before falling in the second over as she tried to take on Ayabonga Khaka but was caught in the deep by Sune Luus for seven.
The rest of the powerplay was strong for the White Ferns, with Bates on 25 and Kerr on eight after six overs. The 50 was brought up the following over for New Zealand.
Nonkulueko Mlaba managed to grab Bates in her first over for 32 as she tried to use her crease but was bowled. This left the Kiwis on 53 for the loss of two wickets.
After captain Sophie Devine and Kerr had just started to build a partnership with each other, Nadine de Klerk struck on her second ball of the match. A vital review by South Africa overturned the umpire's decision to get Devine on her way for six.
Whilst the boundaries weren’t coming for the White Ferns, they were able to carry on scoring at a good rate. Brooke Halliday finally managed two fours in a row of Luus in the fourteenth over.
A 50-run stand between Kerr and Halliday from 37 balls allowed the White Ferns to gain some momentum and to up their run rate in the backstages of the innings.
Sitting at 125/3 with three overs left of the innings, the White Ferns knew that they needed to push on, but instead, the partnership was broken by Chloe Tryon. Halliday was the one to depart, caught in the deep by Anneke Bosch for 38 from 28 balls.
Kerr went on the charge in the penultimate over, and after striking a couple of fours to start it, she was caught in the deep by Tazmin Brits off Mlaba for 43.
New Zealand managed to get 16 from the final over, with Maddy Green finishing on 12* and Izzy Gaze on 3*.
They finished on 158, with Kerr’s 43, Halliday’s 38 and Bates’ 31 being the scores of note. Mlaba (2/31) grabbed two wickets, whilst Khaka (1/44), Tryon (1/22), and de Klerk (1/17) all got one.
South Africa’s openers, Laura Wolvaardt and Brits, got their side off to a strong start with the bat, and the New Zealand bowlers didn’t have any answers early on.
The South African batters managed to get through the powerplay without losing a wicket, with Wolvaardt on 29* and Brits on 15*. They soon made their way to a 50-run opening stand in the seventh over.
Fran Jonas had the first wicket for New Zealand with Brits trying to take her on down the ground but instead caught by Green for 17.
Bosch, fresh off her 74* in the semi-final against Australia, joined her captain in the middle, and they only managed to put on eight runs together.
A solid eighth over from Lea Tahuhu, which only went for one run, started to put pressure on South Africa as the required run rate started to climb.
This pressure allowed Kerr to get the dangerous Wolvaardt for 33, with Bates taking the catch.
Kerr then started to swing the momentum more in the New Zealanders' favour, with Bosch falling on the final ball of the tenth over. Izzy Gaze grabbed the catch behind the stumps for nine, with the wicket coming off a New Zealand review.
For South Africa, the run rate kept climbing, and this led to pressure on their batters, ultimately resulting in wickets for the White Ferns.
Kapp tried to take on Eden Carson but was caught by Georgia Plimmer for eight, and Rosemary Mair had de Klerk caught by Kerr for six.
With six overs to go, South Africa needed 73 for victory with Tryon and Luus in the middle and the pressure building for them.
Halliday was brought to the bowling crease, and she managed to grab Luus for eight with South Africa’s run rate climbing well above 12.
Three overs were remaining in the chase, and South Africa needed 52 for victory, with Kerr tasked with the job of bowling the eighteenth over.
With the wicket of Annerie Dercksen for ten, it left South Africa with just three wickets remaining as Sinalo Jafta joined Tryon in the middle.
Mair came back into the attack and struck as Tryon tried to take her down the ground but was caught by Green for 14. Sinalo Jafta also fell to Mair for six.
Mlaba and Khaka both finished on four not out, but it wasn’t enough for South Africa.
New Zealand became T20 World Cup Champions for the first time with their 32-run victory!!!
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