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
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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:
New Zealand 74-3 (11) Kerr 15, Halliday 3, De Klerk 1-4 (1)
De Klerk comes into the attack after the drinks break. Devine has been hit and De Klerk is the only one to appeal but is so convinced the decision is sent upstairs.
And she was right! Devine has to go for just six! The ball was going to hit and De Klerk celebrates.
There hasn’t been a boundary since the powerplay for the Kiwis now.
New Zealand 70-2 (10) Kerr 14, Devine 6, Tryon 0-17 (3)
Devine sweeps fine, manages to get it past the keeper, but it doesn’t have enough on it to reach the boundary off Tryon.
Another wide, and New Zealand won’t complain about these extra runs at all.
Tryon miss-fields off her own bowling and Devine adds another single.
At the half way point, New Zealand are 70-2.
New Zealand 62-2 (9) Kerr 12, Devine 1, Kapp 0-17 (3)
Kapp comes back to bowl the ninth over. Kerr manages to tuck the ball away for a single.
The run rate has slowed slightly since the wicket, but Devine is an experienced batter.
Devine is off the mark with a single. Kapp takes the pace off the ball which glances off the hip of Kerr and away for another single.
Another pace off delivery that dies before it reaches the keeper and goes past the outside edge of Devine.
Wicket! Bates out for 32! New Zealand 57-2 (8) Kerr 10, Devine 0, Mlaba 1-14 (2)
Bates turns the first ball of Mlaba’s second over to deep square leg for a single.
Mlaba tries to react but fires one down leg side.
Kerr sweeps fine but the ball can’t quite evade the fielder and is well-stopped on the boundary by Kapp.
Mlaba has a breakthrough! It’s the big wicket of Suzie Bates! She goes too far across her crease to try and access the leg side and misses the ball which crashes into the stumps.
Another wide from Mlaba, and three from the over.
New Zealand 50-1 (7) Bates 31, Kerr 9, Tryon 0-9 (2)
Bates switches it up with a reverse paddle and picks up a single to Tryon.
They can’t seem to find the boundary off Tryon, but can keep manoeuvring the ball around for singles.
New Zealand 43-1 (6) Bates 25, Kerr 8, Mlaba 0-7 (1)
The switch to spin has stemmed the flow of runs, and Mlaba who has been prolific in this tournament comes into the attack.
Bates manages to secure two off the opening ball of the over. New Zealand have another scare, the ball catches the edge of Bates’ bat and just drops short of the fielder.
Bates sweeps and perfectly picks out the boundary on the leg side. She follows it up with another straighter one straight to the fielder in the deep at midwicket.
New Zealand 36-1 (5) Bates 18, Kerr 8, Tryon 0-2 (1)
South Africa switch to the spin of Tryon after the batters seemed to relish the chance to be aggressive against the seamers.
Bates almost found herself stranded, but the throw into Jafta was not perfect and allowed her to get back into her crease.
New Zealand 34-1 (4) Bates 17, Kerr 7, Khaka 1-21 (2)
Bates tucks the first delivery of Khaka’s second over into the leg side for a single. The wicketkeeper has come up, but Kerr just tucks it around the corner for another couple.
She does it again, and the fielder fumbles allowing for a single to turn into two.
Bates powers another boundary to finish off the over, past mid on.
New Zealand 24-1 (3) Bates 10, Kerr 4, Kapp 0-13 (2)
Kapp will return for her second, and Bates is keen to come down the wicket straight away, there was a chance of a run out at the non-strikers, but Kerr would have been safe even with a direct hit.
Bates was close to being caught but she has found the gap on the off side between point and cover and adds another couple.
The next delivery is also close, she goes up over the ring on the off side and the ball just bounces out of reach of the fielder, but it has been called a no ball and would not have counted.
Kerr is bowled off the free hit, she edges it onto her pad and back onto the stumps, but it won’t count.
Wicket! Plimmer out for 9! New Zealand 20-1 (2) Bates 7, Kerr 4, Khaka 1-11 (1)
The pressure is on, there’s a fumble on the boundary and New Zealand have another boundary, with Bates scoring her first four off Khaka.
She flicks another one off the pads for a single.
Plimmer goes for another one, hits down the ground but straight into the hands of long on! South Africa have a breakthrough! Caught by Sune Luus.
Kerr is on the charge, hits her first ball to the leg side boundary.
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