 "The New Zealand team pose with the Women's T20 World Cup title after beating South Africa in the final in Dubai on Sunday. AP")
A clinical New Zealand defeated South Africa by 32 runs in the final of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai on Sunday as the White Ferns clinched their maiden title. The women’s team’s title triumph came just hours after the men’s team had beaten India in a Test match in India for the first time in 36 years.
For South Africa, it was a second successive defeat in a second successive final of the Women’s T20 World Cup, after the Proteas had gone down to Australia in the final of the 2023 edition. The South Africa men’s team had also lost the final of the T20 World Cup to India earlier this year.
South Africa sent New Zealand in to bat and the Sophie Devine-led side thrived under pressure to post an above par 158 for five at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAmelia Kerr collected 43 off 38 balls while Brooke Halliday made an impactful 38 off 28 balls to push New Zealand beyond 150 in what has been a low scoring tournament. South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt (33 off 27) took her team to 47 for no loss in the powerplay before New Zealand bowlers were able to stifle the opposition.
South Africa could not keep with the scoring rate and ended with 126 for nine in 20 overs. Kerr starred with her leg-spin as well, ending with three wickets for 24 runs in four overs.
It was a remarkable change of fortunes for New Zealand, who had come into the tournament with the baggage of 10 losses in a row. They were the best bowling unit in the competition by a fair distance and on Sunday, improved their batting by a few notches. There was no coming back from South Africa after they lost their gutsy leader Wolvaardt in the 10th over. Kerr got the prized wicket as Wolvaardt, in her attempt to accelerate the scoring rate, found Suzie Bates at cover.
When the hero of the semi-final, Anneke Bosch, perished five balls later, the writing was on the wall. South Africa’s untested middle-order could not respond to the pressure put by the New Zealand bowlers.
Brief scores: New Zealand 158/5 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/31). South Africa 126/9 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 33, Amelia Kerr 3/24).
With inputs from PTI