Sports Desk
20 October
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
New Zealand defeated South Africa by 32 runs in the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup at Dubai International Stadium, winning their first-ever World Cup title in both men’s and women’s cricket.
Batting first after being invited by South Africa, New Zealand posted a challenging total of 158/5 in 20 overs. Key contributions came from Amelia Kerr (43), Brooke Halliday (38), and Suzy Bates (32). South Africa’s bowlers, led by Nonkululeko Malaba (2 wickets), kept the pressure on but couldn’t stop New Zealand from setting a competitive target.
In response, South Africa had a strong start with captain Laura Wolvaardt (33) and Tazmin Brits (17) sharing a 51-run opening partnership. However, the rest of the batting lineup faltered, with Chloe Tryon (14) being the only other batter to reach double figures. South Africa ended their innings at 126/9, falling 32 runs short of the target.
Amelia Kerr was named Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round performance. She not only top-scored with 43 runs but also took 3 wickets for 24 runs in 4 overs.
This marks New Zealand’s first World Cup title, while South Africa, having lost to Australia in the previous final, missed out once again.