In a thrilling week for New Zealand cricket, the women's team clinched their first-ever T20 World Cup title in Dubai. Defying pre-tournament form that boasted just one win in 13 T20Is, New Zealand showcased their resilience and skill, proving that past performances matter little when it comes to the grand stage.
The foundation for this title victory was built by their solid batting at both ends of the innings, which set up a challenging total for South Africa to chase. With the early dismissal of South Africa's star player Laura Wolvaardt, New Zealand's bowlers tightened their grip, restricting the chasing side and ensuring they couldn't recover. Amelia Kerr was instrumental in this success, excelling with both bat and ball, ultimately leading to South Africa finishing as runners-up for the second consecutive T20 World Cup.
New Zealand eagerly accepted the chance to bat first, demonstrating their intent with an explosive start as Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer put on a show. Although Ayabonga Khaka's bowling helped South Africa take an early wicket, Amelia Kerr quickly joined Bates and kept the momentum alive. Wolvaardt tried her hand at left-arm spin during the PowerPlay, but New Zealand emerged with the highest PowerPlay score against South Africa in this World Cup: 43 runs for 1 wicket.
Despite the pressure from South Africa, New Zealand's batting remained aggressive. However, they did face a middle-order struggle, with Sophie Devine falling victim to LBW. Yet, Brooke Halliday's crucial boundaries turned the tide back in New Zealand's favor. As South Africa's bowlers began to lose their grip, Halliday and Kerr kept the scoreboard ticking, with New Zealand finishing strong at 159 for 5.
In reply, South Africa started brightly, with Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits scoring freely in the PowerPlay. However, the pressure mounted as the innings progressed. A change in bowling strategy, including a tight over from Fran Jonas, led to the loss of key wickets, including Wolvaardt. Kerr’s superb bowling saw her take three wickets for just 24 runs, while Rosemary Mair matched her efforts, claiming three scalps as well.
With South Africa's lower order trying to bridge the gap, the wickets kept tumbling, leading to their defeat by 32 runs. New Zealand's victory was not just a testament to their talent but a celebration of teamwork and perseverance.
Brief Scores:New Zealand 159/5 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-31)beat South Africa 126/9 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 33; Amelia Kerr 3-24, Rosemary Mair 3-25) by 32 runs. credits-https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/132124/amelia-kerr-delivers-new-zealands-first-ever-t20-world-cup-title
