- In an exhilarating final match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the New Zealand Women’s team posted a solid total of 158/5 in their 20 overs against South Africa Women. Despite losing early wickets, the Kiwi batters showcased resilience and aggressive stroke play to build a competitive total.
T20 World Cup Final Top Performances:
- Amelia Kerr played a pivotal role in anchoring the New Zealand innings with her well-crafted knock of 43 runs off 38 balls, which included 4 boundaries. Kerr’s innings helped stabilize the innings after the early wickets of Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates.
- Brooke Halliday provided crucial support with a blistering knock of 38 runs off 28 balls, accelerating the scoring rate and keeping the pressure on the South African bowlers. She struck 3 fours and 2 sixes, playing a key role in building partnerships.
- Suzie Bates, the experienced opener, contributed 32 runs off 31 balls, setting a decent platform before being dismissed by Nonkululeko Mlaba.
- Maddy Green added a quickfire 12 off 6 balls* towards the end of the innings, maintaining a healthy run rate and ensuring that New Zealand reached a competitive total.
Bowling Highlights:
South Africa’s bowlers, while expensive at times, managed to take crucial wickets:
- Marizanne Kapp was the pick of the bowlers with her accurate spell of 4-0-25-0, keeping things tight at one end. However, she was unfortunate not to pick up any wickets.
- Nonkululeko Mlaba made a significant impact by dismissing both Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr, finishing with figures of 4-0-36-2.
- Chloe Tryon and Ayabonga Khaka also chipped in with a wicket each, but their economy rates took a hit due to the aggressive batting from the New Zealand middle-order.
Fall of Wickets:
New Zealand’s innings witnessed a few quick wickets:
- Georgia Plimmer was dismissed early in the 2nd over for just 9 runs.
- Suzie Bates followed shortly after, leaving New Zealand at 53-2.
- Sophie Devine, the captain, struggled to get going and was dismissed for 6 runs, further denting New Zealand’s hopes at 70-3.
- The wicket of Brooke Halliday in the 19th over threatened to derail New Zealand’s charge, but the middle order ensured the team crossed the 150-run mark.
New Zealand will be satisfied with their total of 158/5 on a track that seems to offer some assistance to the spinners. However, with South Africa’s strong batting line-up, this final is far from over, and a thrilling chase is expected in the second innings.
Stay tuned for the second innings, where South Africa will look to chase down the target and lift the T20 World Cup trophy.
2. New Zealand Women Clinch T20 World Cup 2024 Title with Dominant Bowling Display
In a thrilling T20 World Cup 2024 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the New Zealand Women’s team successfully defended their total of 158/5, restricting South Africa Women to 126/9 in 20 overs. New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Rosemary Mair and Amelia Kerr, delivered an exceptional performance to guide their team to a convincing 32-run victory and the World Cup title.
South Africa’s Struggle in the Chase:
- Laura Wolvaardt, the South African captain, was the top scorer with 33 runs off 27 balls, providing some hope for her team. Her knock included 5 boundaries, but her dismissal in the 9th over left South Africa in trouble at 59/2.
- Tazmin Brits contributed 17 runs off 18 balls, but her strike rate of 94.44 was too slow for the pace required in a chase of 159. Her wicket in the 7th over was the first major setback for South Africa.
- Contributions from Chloe Tryon (14 off 16), Annerie Dercksen (10 off 9), and Sinalo Jafta (6 off 4) were too little, too late as the South African middle-order faltered under pressure.
New Zealand’s Bowlers Shine:
New Zealand’s bowling attack was clinical, picking up wickets at regular intervals:
- Rosemary Mair was the standout performer with figures of 4-0-25-3, including the key wickets of Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta, and Marizanne Kapp. Her disciplined bowling kept the South African batters in check throughout the innings.
- Amelia Kerr was equally impressive, taking 2 wickets for 28 runs in her 4 overs. Kerr not only contributed with the bat but also removed Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch to dent South Africa’s chase.
- Fran Jonas and Eden Carson also played their part, picking up 2 wickets each and maintaining tight control over the run rate.
Key Moments in the Match:
- Early Breakthroughs: New Zealand struck early, dismissing both Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt before the halfway stage of South Africa’s innings. This set the tone for the rest of the match as South Africa struggled to form meaningful partnerships.
- Middle-Order Collapse: South Africa’s middle-order crumbled under pressure, losing wickets in quick succession. The dismissals of Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus between the 11th and 15th overs severely hampered their chances of chasing down the target.
- Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen’s Efforts: While both batters tried to salvage the innings with brief cameos, their efforts were not enough to change the outcome of the game. Sinalo Jafta’s dismissal in the 19th over effectively sealed South Africa’s fate.
New Zealand’s Commanding Win:
This victory marks a major milestone for NZ Women as they lifted the T20 World Cup trophy. Their all-round performance, with contributions from both bat and ball, proved too strong for the South African team.
Newzealand won their ist ever T20 world cup..#T20WomensWorldCuppic.twitter.com/5N57w6jzMh
— 12TH PASS (@koitohoon_39) October 20, 2024
The New Zealand bowlers, especially, deserve full credit for their disciplined and aggressive approach, ensuring that South Africa never gained the upper hand in the chase.
With this memorable win, NZ Women have established themselves as a dominant force in international women’s cricket.