The Kiwis take flight in the desert!
Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu were finally vindicated as their illustrious resumes finally got a champion’s star.
Published : Oct 20, 2024 23:08 IST , DUBAI - 2 MINS READ
New Zealand players celebrate after winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. | Photo Credit: Francois Nel/Getty Images
After the heartbreak of falling short in two finals in 2009 and 2010 and many failures that have followed since, the Kiwis finally took flight against the desert skies. Sophie Devine’s New Zealand clinched its maiden Women’s T20 World Cup crown and second ICC World title with a 32-run win over South Africa in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Through the course of the tournament, the old guard – Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu – have focused on passing the baton of propping up New Zealand cricket to the next generation of stars coming through, Amelia Kerr leading this refreshing bunch of youngsters. The veterans were finally vindicated as their illustrious resumes finally got a champion’s star.
Chasing 159, openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits matched the Kiwis with an explosive PowerPlay. They stitched a 51-run stand before Fran Jonas took out Brits in the seventh over, with Maddy Green taking a clean catch at long on.
Kerr, who was off the field due to crippling cramps, made her way back to dismiss Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch in the same over. Much rested on the shoulders of a largely unchallenged Proteas middle order, but what followed was a slow and painful collapse that would see South Africa’s World Cup dreams crumble in the final for the third time in under a year.
Earlier, Wolvaardt put New Zealand in to bat and the Kiwis channelled the best version of themselves as they kept the Proteas at bay with 36 runs from the PowerPlay. This despite losing Georgia Plimmer in the second over, who led the charge with some audacious shot making.
READ: Amelia Kerr becomes highest wicket-taker in single edition of Women’s T20 World Cup
Kerr made her intentions clear and began by pulling Ayabonga Khaka to the boundary off her very first ball. Bates eased Kerr in, but was felled by Nonkululeko Mlaba in the eightth over, much like how she was dismissed in the semifinal against the West Indies. Nadine de Klerk took out captain Devine, trapping her leg before - a dismissal vindicated by a review in the dying minutes of the timer by Wolvaardt.
New Zealand’s next generation – which has been the priority of the senior group in the side and the largely untested part of the batting order – stepped up. Brooke Halliday stitched a 57-run stand with Kerr to set up the White Ferns for an above-par total. The side even denied veteran pacer Marizanne Kapp the joy of a wicket in this final. Kerr missed out on a fifty, holing out to Brits off Mlaba’s bowling for a fluent 38-ball 43. Maddy Green’s six off Khaka in the final over did enough to seal a total that would be well out of reach for the Proteas.