Women’s T20 World Cup: Final Review – New Zealand lift their maiden T20 World Cup title
The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa, held in Dubai, saw the White Ferns claim their first-ever World Cup title with a decisive 32-run victory. New Zealand batted first and set a challenging target of 158/5, with Amelia Kerr playing a crucial role, scoring 43 off 38 balls, supported by Brooke Halliday’s quickfire 38. South Africa’s bowlers, including de Klerk, took key wickets at important junctures but couldn’t contain the consistent scoring of the New Zealanders.
South Africa’s chase started solidly, reaching 47/0 after the powerplay, but a middle-order collapse hindered their progress. Tazmin Brits (17) and Laura Wolvaardt (33) built a decent partnership, but after their dismissals, the South African lineup struggled to maintain momentum. New Zealand’s Eden Carson and Jess Kerr delivered critical blows during the middle overs, triggering a collapse that saw South Africa reduced to 107/6 by the 17th over, ultimately finishing at 126/9.
This win marked New Zealand’s redemption after past heartbreaks in T20 World Cup finals, having lost in 2009 and 2010. Their disciplined bowling attack, led by Lea Tahuhu and Amelia Kerr, ensured that South Africa never returned to the game after the collapse. For South Africa, it was another missed opportunity, having also lost in the final in 2020, but they can take pride in reaching another final and defeating heavyweights like Australia along the way.
Top Performers of the match
Amelia Kerr (New Zealand): Amelia Kerr played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s batting innings, top-scoring with 43 off 38 balls. Coming in after the loss of early wickets, Kerr provided stability and accelerated the scoring rate. Her innings were instrumental in helping New Zealand post a competitive total. With her consistent ability to rotate strike and find the boundary, she ensured that the White Ferns maintained momentum throughout their innings. Kerr’s all-round brilliance also extended to her bowling, where she claimed a crucial wicket to further dampen South Africa’s chase.
Brooke Halliday (New Zealand): Halliday’s quickfire 38 off 28 balls came at a crucial juncture when New Zealand needed to boost their scoring rate. Her aggressive approach, coupled with a strike rate of over 135, provided the late flourish that helped the White Ferns reach a solid total of 158. Halliday also contributed on the field, playing a significant part in dismissing key South African players during their innings, further cementing her all-round impact on the match.
Eden Carson (New Zealand): In the bowling department, Eden Carson shone as the standout performer for New Zealand. Her disciplined spell and ability to pick up key wickets during the middle overs caused a major collapse in the South African batting order. Carson’s dismissal of Marizanne Kapp for just 8 runs shifted the momentum completely in favor of New Zealand, making her one of the top bowlers in the final. Her efforts ensured that South Africa could never recover from their middle-order collapse
