South Africa vs New Zealand LIVE: T20 World Cup final reaction after Kiwis win by 32 runs
Follow all the live action from the Women’s T20 World Cup final in Dubai
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.New Zealand overcame their demons from the past to win the Women’s T20 World Cup for the first time in Dubai, beating South Africa by 32 runs.
In 2010, Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine were a part of the team that were beaten in the final and they played a perfect match to ensure that this time around they would leave with the trophy.
Amelia Kerr starred with bat and ball as New Zealand scored 158 runs having lost the toss and been put in to bat and with the ball they held their nerve to take wickets at key moments as South Africa only managed 126 for nine in reply.
Australia travelled to Dubai as the number one ranked T20 side in the world and favourites to lift a fourth successive trophy, but were knocked out by South Africa in the semi-finals.
England and India both faltered at the group stage and never reached the knockouts, ensuring that the final will be the first white-ball women’s final without Australia or England being involved.
Six-time winners Australia suffered a shock loss to South Africa, who won by eight wickets, chasing down 135 with 16 balls to spare. New Zealand, meanwhile, defeated the West Indies by nine runs in a tense and close semi-final to set up today’s showpiece.
Follow all the live action in the blog below:
Wicket! Wolvaardt out for 33! Bosch out for 9! South Africa 64-3 (10) Kapp 1, Kerr 2-11 (2)
Wolvaardt has gone! The dots building has brought that breakthrough! She tries to go over extra cover and Bates takes the catch!
Bosch relieves some of the pressure with the first boundary in 23 deliveries.
But there’s another appeal, this time for caught behind and this time New Zealand do go upstairs. Bosch has to go for just nine!
South Africa 59-1 (9) Wolvaardt 33, Bosch 5, Tahuhu 0-11 (2)
Tahuhu comes back on, there’s another appeal against Bosch, the Kiwis again choose not to review.
The first ball of the over goes for a single but then the dots start to mount.
South Africa 58-1 (8) Wolvaardt 32, Bosch 5, Kerr 0-6 (1)
Kerr has come on to bowl for the first time in this match, she has taken 12 wickets in the tournament so far.
Bosch has been struck on the pad, nothing given, and not reviewed, might just have been too high.
Wicket! Brits out for 17! South Africa 52-1 (7) Wolvaardt 30, Bosch 1, Jonas 1-15 (2)
Jonas starts her second with two dots but then fires one wide.
South Africa bring up their half century in the seventh over with a hard run two.
Breakthrough! Brits tries to go big and hit down the ground over the top, but it was straight to the fielder in the deep and she has to go for 17!
South Africa 47-0 (6) Wolvaardt 39, Brits 15, Mair 0-17 (2)
Mair returns to the action. She bowled three wides in her first over, but the swing might have died down a bit now, either way she will bowl the final over of the powerplay.
Devine chases the first down hard to keep the runs down to just one. But Wolvaardt crunches the ball down the ground for another boundary.
Two more boundaries from the over as Brits gets in on the action and New Zealand need a wicket to stem the flow of runs.
South Africa 37-0 (5) Wolvaardt 24, Brits 10, Carson 0-10 (2)
Carson will have her second.
That was a good over from Carson, just three singles from it.
South Africa 34-0 (4) Wolvaardt 23, Brits 6, Tahuhu 0-10 (1)
Tahuhu is coming on to bowl.
Wolvaard has another boundary, too straight and sends this one to the leg side boundary.
She follows it up with another! Back to back fours.
South Africa 24-0 (3) Wolvaardt 14, Brits 7, Jonas 0-10 (1)
Jonas has come on to bowl, three overs, three bowlers so far for the Kiwis.
South Africa are sprinting through all of these runs, lots of twos.
Wolvaardt has another boundary with expert timing and this is becoming an expensive over.
South Africa 14-0 (2) Wolvaardt 7, Brits 4, Carson 0-7 (1)
Carson comes into the attack for some early spin. Brits just fends off the first two deliveries defensively.
Wolvaardt scores the first boundary of the innings, and tries to follow it up with a second but it’s well stopped just before the rope.
Amelia Kerr has cramp after that dive.
South Africa 7-0 (1) Wolvaardt 1, Brits 3, Mair 0-7 (1)
Mair will open the bowling for New Zealand. There’s a little too much swing and the ball drifts leg side bringing the first extras of the second innings.
Brits tries to go over the top but it’s stopped on the boundary to save a run.
Another one leg side, and another wide. Again more swing, a third wide of the over.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments