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New Zealand coasted to a 32-run win over South Africa in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 final on Sunday in Dubai, sealing their first title. Rosemary Mair was the chief destroyer with the ball for the White Ferns as they defended a 159-run target.
Suzie Bates and captain Sophie Devine, who were part of the team that lost the 2010 T20 World Cup final, shared an emotional embrace after New Zealand sealed the win. Here is a video of the celebrations:
South African captain Laura Woolvardt had won the toss and opted to field first. Both sides remained unchanged from their convincing semi-final wins over Australia and the West Indies. After the wicket of Georgia Plimmer for nine runs, Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr stitched an enterprising 37-run partnership.
Bates was the first one to be dismissed among the two, perishing for 32 off 31 deliveries in the eighth over. The Proteas got the massive wicket of Devine in the 11th over as Nadine de Klerk trapped her lbw. Brooke Halliday's 28-ball 38 proved crucial as it took her side past the 150-run mark.
Kerr departed in the 19th over after top-scoring for New Zealand with 43 as they eventually finished with 158/5 in 20 overs.
South Africa's top-order struggled against New Zealand's bowlers:
South Africa's top-order batters, which lay the platform for an eight-wicket win over Australia in the semi-final, couldn't do the same in the decider. While skipper Woolvardt smacked five boundaries in her 27-ball 33, none of Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, or Marizanne Kapp went beyond 20. Bosch and Kapp notably perished for single-figure scores.
With New Zealand's bowlers applying the squeeze consistently, none of the remaining Proteas batters made a substantial score and they finished at 126/9. Kerr and Mair finished with outstanding collective figures of 8-0-49-6, picking up three scalps each. Halliday, Eden Carson, and Fran Jonas took one wicket each.
The tournament also marks Devine's end of captaincy tenure in T20s.
