New Zealand Clinch Women’s T20 World Cup with Dominating Victory over South Africa
The New Zealand Women’s cricket team made history by winning the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time on October 20, 2024.
The enthralling competition came to a close with the Kiwis’ victory over South Africa in Dubai. During the tournament, the team overcame enormous obstacles, including a record-breaking turnaround after losing 10 straight Twenty20 international matches. This triumph is now inscribed as a significant occasion in the history of cricket in New Zealand.
Key Performances and Match Results
New Zealand 158 for 5 (Kerr 43, Halliday 38, Bates 32, Mlaba 2-31) beat South Africa 126 for 9 (Wolvaardt 33, Mair 3-25, Kerr 3-24) by 32 runs.
Match Analysis
One of the most memorable days in New Zealand cricket history is October 20, which can be written in large, bold characters. The women’s team won the nation’s first T20I World Cup in Dubai, a few hours after the men’s team achieved a historic Test victory—their first in India in thirty-six years.
Four million people in the country reported for work on Monday morning. Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, dubbed the “grandmas of the team” by Bates, joked that they had nearly completed theirs and had finally held the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy—the cup that had cruelly escaped them at Kensington Oval fourteen years prior.
It was only fitting that the two icons, who have supported the cricket environment in the nation for so long despite complex problems and tight budgets, might have the time of their life as their legendary careers came to a conclusion.
With a little limp from cramps, Amelia Kerr took three wickets and top scored with 43, making a significant contribution to the win that she had planned to dedicate to the golden oldies.
To put things in perspective, New Zealand entered the competition having lost 10 T20I matches in a row—the longest losing run any team has ever recovered from to win a cricket World Cup. All that was irrelevant, though, on this particular night.
Having watched 134 and 141 by Australia and England, respectively, get destroyed at this location over the previous two days, New Zealand came out swinging. In the second over, they lost Georgia Plimmer (who had hit two fours), but Bates swiftly regained control. Prior to this match, she had been hitting for 90.77 in five innings.
However, she immediately demonstrated her purpose by hitting a boundary, which was a walloped over midwicket, off the second ball of the match. However, she slowed considerably as spin was added, making it harder to make strokes, starting at 17 off 13.
Both sides were starting to feel the strain of a final by that point. When Marizanne Kapp was unable to cleanly pick up a nudge at square leg in the fifth over against Bates, she lost a chance to run out. In the sixth, Sinalo Jafta had a chance to stump the opposition but was unable to pick up the ball as Bates was being hauled out. But in the eighth over, Bates fell for a 31-ball 32 while trying a ramp off Nonkululeko Mlaba, costing South Africa just 12 more runs.
Because of the slow surface, Bates and Sophie Devine were dismissed, which meant that New Zealand’s middle order needed to put in a tremendous amount of work.
In the middle overs, they completed 48 deliveries without a boundary. Throughout her 38-ball vigil, Kerr battled and just found her hitting range in the final few deliveries, which produced 43. New Zealand never really broke out of a rut until left-hander Brooke Halliday arrived.
After breaking the string of boundaries with a slog sweep from Sune Luus in the 14th over, New Zealand had another boundary off the very next ball. Halliday’s arrival invigorated an innings that had been unable to get beyond second gear, as he jumped around the crease and opened scoring areas beyond square on the leg side through sweeps and slogs.
In just 37 balls, Halliday’s hustle helped establish a half-century stand, while Kerr provided backup. In the thirty-two preceding T20I innings, Halliday’s highest score was thirty-three with an 82 strike rate. In this scenario, with a final looming, Halliday’s career-high 38 had come from 28.
Maddy Green’s cameo gave New Zealand a late boost; she made 48 of the final five runs, and they finished with 158, two less than the total they easily defended against India in the tournament’s opening match.
Eden Carson and Fran Jonas attempted to apply pressure as New Zealand introduced spin in the second over, taking a hint from their batting innings. South Africa got just two boundaries in the first three overs, but they continued hitting the ball into gaps to stay up with the asking rate.
Laura Wolvaardt held the chase together in the previous year’s final, attempting to position herself to tee off in the midst of a breakdown. She chose to take the enforcer role in this instance, picking lengths early and pounding with her powerful forearms, displaying a side of her game that contrasts sharply with her artistry.
It was the first time in the competition that New Zealand had failed to take a wicket during the powerplay, thanks to Tazmin Brits’ strong performance. South Africa was on track at 47 for 0.
South Africa was left feeling deflated after Wolvaardt was dismissed for trying to hit Kerr inside-out but finding Bates at extra cover. Jonas broke through to remove the Brits in the eighth over. Bates made three catches in the innings, that being his first. After five balls, Kerr got her second when Izzy Gaze was tickled by Anneke Bosch, who had just two nights before eliminated Australia with an incredible 74. After persuading Devine to review, Kerr—who had initially doubted if there was an edge—was shown to be right.
Then, in the 12th over, Carson had Kapp mistime a slog to deep midwicket, potentially ending South Africa’s chances. Two opposing feelings were captured in one frame: Kerr‘s delight and Kapp’s excruciating trudge back. a clear image of who will win the trophy before the evening was out.
Women’s T20I World Cup Winners List
Years | Winners | Runners | Captains |
2009 | England | New Zealand | Charlotte Edwards |
2010 | Australia | New Zealand | Alex Blackwell |
2012 | Australia | England | Jodie Fields |
2014 | Australia | England | Meg Lanning |
2016 | West Indies | Australia | Stafanie Taylor |
2018 | Australia | England | Meg Lanning |
2020 | Australia | India | Meg Lanning |
2023 | Australia | South Africa | Meg Lanning |
2024 | New Zealand | South Africa | Sophie Devine |
