Author – Pratyusha Bhawar
The New Zealand women’s cricket team emerged victorious in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, clinching their maiden title by defeating South Africa by 32 runs in the final. Held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on October 20, the White Ferns finally lifted the trophy after falling short in the finals in 2009 and 2010, joining the ranks of England, the West Indies, and Australia as champions.
BlackCaps Claim 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Title with a 32-Run Victory over Proteas
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine couldn’t have asked for a more fitting end to her tenure as captain. The Proteas women, despite a solid effort, suffered heartbreak for the third consecutive time in T20 World Cup finals. With captain Laura Wolvaardt leading the team, South Africa fell just short, adding to their series of near misses in the tournament’s history.
New Zealand’s innings started shakily as they lost opener Plimmer early. However, Suzie Bates played a crucial role, forming a solid partnership with Nonkululeko Mlaba to stabilize the innings. The standout performers were Amelia Kerr and Brooke Halliday, whose vital contributions propelled the Kiwis to a competitive total of 158/5 in their 20 overs.
South Africa faced a challenging chase and needed to pull off the highest successful run chase in Women’s T20 World Cup final history. Despite a promising start by openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, who put together a 51-run stand, the Proteas stumbled when the momentum shifted in the 10th over. The South African batting lineup struggled to keep up with the required run rate, ultimately finishing at 126/9, 32 runs short of their target.
After the historic win, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine shared her joy and pride in her team’s journey. “I think once I get my hands around that trophy… I let myself dream last night about what it would be like to hold the trophy. Didn’t want to get too far ahead of myself. Hard to put into words what it means, not just to me but to this group of players. And for New Zealand Cricket as well. It’s been a long time between drinks. The great thing about this group is we’ve known what we’ve been trying to achieve the last 18 months. Results haven’t gone in our favor, but we know we’ve been building in the right direction,” Devine said.
This victory marks a milestone for New Zealand, finally achieving the success they’ve been striving for and cementing their place in women’s cricket history.
