New Zealand Women Clinch Their Maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Title, Defeat South Africa by 32 Runs
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| New Zealand have done it! They beat South Africa by 32 runs to clinch the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup. / Getty |
New Zealand Women, the surprise underdogs in this year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup, have emerged victorious, claiming their first-ever title in the tournament with a commanding 32-run win over South Africa Women in the final at the Dubai International Stadium.
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| Sophie Devine, the New Zealand Women's captain, expressed her feelings about the victory and praised her teammates, including Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu. / Getty |
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, South Africa’s skipper Laura Wolvaardt seemed content with her decision, but New Zealand’s top order came out with an aggressive approach. Georgia Plimmer was the first to fall, contributing 9 runs, but her dismissal didn’t halt the White Ferns' momentum. Suzie Bates anchored the innings early on with a steady 32 before Amelia Kerr stepped in to provide stability and flair, scoring 43 off 35 balls. The pair capitalized on South Africa’s bowling, adding crucial runs in the middle overs.
Late contributions from Brooke Halliday (38) and a quick-fire 12 from Maddy Green in the death overs propelled New Zealand to a challenging 158/5 in their 20 overs. South Africa, facing a tall task of 159 to win their first World Cup, needed to execute a near-perfect chase.
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| Laura Wolvaardt, the South Africa Women's captain, discussed her team's performance and thanked the management and families for their support. / Getty |
In response, South Africa's openers started brightly. Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits raced to 47 without loss in the powerplay, giving hope to the Proteas camp. However, the tide began to turn as New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine orchestrated her bowlers with precision. The introduction of spin changed the game. Amelia Kerr and Rosemary Mair spun a web around the South African batters, each taking three wickets to decimate the middle order.
The pressure mounted as wickets fell in regular intervals, and the required run rate kept climbing. South Africa’s middle-order collapsed under the pressure, with key batters failing to convert starts. Despite resistance from the lower order, it was too much for South Africa as they could only muster 126/9 from their 20 overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba (4*) and Ayabonga Khaka (4*) were left stranded as New Zealand’s bowlers kept their cool in the final overs.
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| Player of the Match & Player of the Tournament: Amelia Kerr / Getty |
Amelia Kerr's all-round performance (43 runs and 3/24) earned her Player of the Match honors, while Rosemary Mair’s 3/25 further dismantled South Africa’s hopes. Eden Carson was also impressive, conceding just 22 runs in her four overs.
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| First-ever T20 World Cup title for New Zealand, making them the fourth nation to win the tournament. / Getty |
New Zealand’s triumph marks a significant milestone in their cricketing history. Long considered underdogs in the tournament, the White Ferns played fearless cricket throughout the tournament, and their collective effort shone brightly in the final. The victory is a testament to their resilience and growth as a dominant force in women's cricket.
As fireworks lit up the Dubai sky, New Zealand Women celebrated their well-earned victory, etching their names in history as the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Champions.
Final Score:
New Zealand Women: 158/5 (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38, Suzie Bates 32; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/31)
South Africa Women: 126/9 (Laura Wolvaardt 33, Tazmin Brits 17; Rosemary Mair 3/25, Amelia Kerr 3/24)
New Zealand won by 32 runs.