New Zealand have done what many considered impossible two weeks ago, stunning South Africa to win the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup at Dubai.
The Kiwi women entered the tournament on a 10-game losing streak in the shortest format, finally breaking that slump with a warm-up win over the Proteas, before toppling India in their opening fixture.
They once again had the measure of their rivals, who chose to field first and allowed the White Ferns to compile 158/5 in their 20 overs. Allrounder Amelia Kerr led the way for New Zealand with 43 runs off 38 balls, including four fours, putting on 57 runs for the fourth wicket with Brooke Halliday, who scored 38 off 28 balls.
The South Africans maintained a competitive run rate throughout their reply, but lost wickets too regularly to mount a challenge at the end.
Star openers Laura Woolvardt and Tazmin Brits had them off to a sound start, with 51 runs for the first wicket, before Brits was caught off the bowling off spinner Fran Jonas.
Woolvardt fell eight runs later, caught by veteran Suzie Bates off Kerr's bowling, and Anneke Bosch followed five runs and five balls later. Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk departed from successive balls from Eden Carson and Rosemary Mair, leaving the Proteas staggering at 77/5 in the 13th over.
Soon after, the required run rate reached two a ball, as the batters struggled to connect with the Kiwi spin attack.
Former captain Sone Luus lobbed Halliday to Bates, who accepted her third catch of the innings, when Annerie Dercksen tried to clear the inner fielding ring.
South Africa had relied heavily on its top order for runs during the tournament, so the tailenders were in unknown territory, as they tried to take up the chase. Big-hitting allrounder Chloe Tryon represented probably their last hope, but Maddy Green held a catch near the boundary off Mair to nullify her threat, as the Proteas needed 42 off the final two overs.
Mair bowled Sinalo Jafta and with one over remaining and 38 runs needed, victory was assured. South Africa had again fallen short, after finishing runners-up to Australia last year.
As winners, the NZ players will divide up prizemoney of US$2.34 million (NZ$3.85m) — that's about $NZ256,000 each.
"Pretty unbelievable to be honest," reflected Mair. "Coming into the tournament, all the odds were against us, so for the group to bounce back like they have is unbelievable.
"The batters put on a pretty fantastic total for us to defend. They [South Africa] got off to a great start in the powerplay and were looking pretty good with the bat, so to pull them back between 6-10 [overs] was great.
"We just care so much about each other, we've been through a lot of lows in the last 18 months, and we've just stuck by each other and kept working hard for each other."
Bates and captain Sophie Devine — in her last outing as skipper — are survivors from New Zealand's last appearance in a World Cup final, when they lost to Australia in 2010.
"This means everything to us," said Bates. "When you play team sport, you want to be a world champion.
"We've fought our way back to the top. We started with a few final opportunities, but since then, it's been pretty rare.
"She [Devine] has been so outstanding, leading this team... so calm and believing in us. We'll probably have a cuddle for even longer later, because there's been some dark times that only the people in the shed understand."
Kerr was named Player of the Match and also took tournament honours, as leading wicket-taker.
New Zealand 158/5 (Kerr 43, Halliday 38, Bates 32; Mlaba 2/31) South Africa 126/9 (Woolvardt 33; Mair 3/25, Kerr 3/24).
NZ win by 32 runs.
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