New Zealand’s players celebrate their victory at the end of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup cricket … [+]
Team New Zealand have faced a fair share of losses in the finals over the years in cricket history. The Kiwis, led by Kane Williamson, were shut down by England on home soil with a roaring crowd in Lords Stadium at the 2019 World Cup finals. In 2010, the women in black, Suzie Bates (37) and captain Sophie Devine (35) were also left with a bitter aftertaste as the team failed to chase a low-scoring final against the Aussies.
However, the White Ferns managed to turn around their luck in Dubai on Sunday, as they won their first ever T20 World Cup title. The team with extraordinary performances by Ameila Kerr and Brooke Halliday, beat South Africa in the highly anticipated finals by a substantial 32 runs.
MACKAY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 22: Amelia Kerr of New Zealand celebrates dismissing Ashleigh Gardner … [+]
The match began with South Africa winning the toss and opting for fielding. The former captain, Suzie Bates, made 32 runs off 31 balls as the opener and eventually lost her wicket to Nonkululeko Mlaba, helping South Africa maintain a strong opening. However, the player of the match, Amelia Kerr, shone bright in the finals as the top scorer with 43 runs in 38 balls. With the help of Brooke Halliday, who scored her highest individual score of her career in this format, 38 runs off 28 balls, Kerr managed to build a 57-run partnership, paving their way of creating history. The team ended up leaving a 158/5 score on the board for South Africa to chase.
However, Kerr’s effort to help the underdogs didn’t remain in making runs alone. The 24-year-old knocked out South Africa’s key players Anneke Bosch and captain Laura Wolvaard to finish for three for 24. Further Rosemary Mair’s three wickets for 25 helped the pressure keep building for South Africa to chase victory as the 2023 runner-up after a great semi-final against the West Indies. Lastly, Kiwis hungry for success won the maiden title by restricting South Africa to 126/9.
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