Kolkata: New Zealand displayed rare batting efficiency, bowled exactly as the conditions in Dubai demanded and caught everything that came their way to beat South Africa by 32 runs and win the Women’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. Twice in two years now South Africa have lost an ICC tournament final, but for New Zealand there couldn’t have been a more appropriate swansong for the legendary trio of captain Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates and Lea Tahuhu, possibly playing together for the last time.
Emotions ran high as Bates and Devine rushed to hug each other the moment Nonkululeko Mlaba failed to connect a wild swing against Eden Carson off the last ball of the innings.
Coming into this tournament on the back of 11 consecutive defeats, New Zealand upset predictions to progress through the tournament playing as a team. The batting wasn’t always solid and the catching was woefully bad during the semi-final against West Indies but Sunday’s performance wiped the slate clean as New Zealand rode on Brooke Halliday’s 28-ball 38 and Player of the Match and Tournament Amelia Kerr’s allround performance — 43 off 38 balls and 2/16 — to win their first T20 World Cup title.
“I’m a little bit speechless and I’m just so stoked to get the win, considering what this team’s been through. And yeah, it’s what dreams are made of,” said Kerr at the post-match presentation. “I kind of thought 140-plus in the finals gets us in the game and the way Brooke came out and hit, it was an outstanding contribution from everyone and a lot of belief to, I guess, finish the job.”
Rules of engagement at tournament finals generally dictate batting first and piling scoreboard pressure on the opponents. Probably buoyed by their scintillating chase of Australia’s 134/5 in the semi-final though, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt opted to bowl. With Georgia Plimmer getting dismissed in the second over, South Africa had no reason to doubt their decision. But with New Zealand using their feet against the seamers, South Africa couldn’t have been completely convinced about being right about chasing.
Two 30-plus stands took New Zealand to 70 in the 11th over to quickly change the complexion of the game. And then came the match-altering stand when Kerr and Halliday added 57 runs for the fifth wicket. Already leading wicket-taker at the tournament, Kerr came at No.3 in the second over and stayed till the 19th to lift New Zealand in the final overs. More impactful was Halliday’s stay though, cruising to a 28-ball 38 that despite containing few boundaries ran the South Africans ragged in the field by finding the gaps.
Mlaba was the most successful South Africa bowler, returning 2/31 from her four overs but overall the bowling was far from disciplined, conceding 10 wides and three no-balls. The most telling blow though came in the final five overs as New Zealand added 48 runs by going after South Africa’s erratic bowling. Following up on Kerr and Halliday’s brisk batting was Maddy Green, hammering Ayabonga Khaka’s low full toss over deep mid-wicket for a huge six in the final over – it went for 16 runs — to impart the sort of slog-over momentum New Zealand were seeking.
From setting a par total after being put to bat to consistently taking the pace off the ball to Lea Tahuhu conceding just one run in the ninth over, New Zealand couldn’t have put a foot wrong when it came to cranking up the pressure on South Africa. Only Wolvaardt possessed the skill and mindset to turn the tables on New Zealand. And it looked to be going that way too as South Africa finished the Powerplay on 47 for no loss, Wolvaardt accounting for 29 of those, off just 20 balls.
Going deep inside her crease, the South Africa captain pulled Eden Carson’s shorter ball for a boundary that released some pressure in the second over. Third over, Fran Jonas was at the receiving end as Wolvaardt crunched her through extra cover for four. Consecutive boundaries off Tahuhu in the fourth over added more drama to the chase as South Africa finally looked to be breaking out of a shell.
Crucial though was Tazmin Brits’ dismissal five deliveries into the fielding restrictions being relaxed as Anneke Bosch failed to rotate the strike enough. With the field spread and the spinners making strokeplay difficult, pressure was building on South Africa. Five dot balls and Wolvaardt gave in. Lured by a tossed-up delivery from Kerr, who was struggling to walk, Wolvaardt looked to go over cover but found the ever-reliable Suzie Bates holding on to the catch on the edge of the infield. Once she was gone, it was always going to be uphill for SA.