Sporting UAE fans rewarded with a stunning final as New Zealand emerge new world champions

By K.R. Nayar
From Dubai  International Stadium 

It wasn’t an India-Pakistan final or a clash between subcontinental teams, yet 21,457 UAE fans almost filled the 25,000-capacity Dubai International Stadium for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between New Zealand and South Africa. Despite their favorite teams making an early exit, the fans sportingly turned up to cheer for women’s cricket. They were rewarded with a thrilling match as New Zealand stunned the favourites South African team, winning by 32 runs to claim the world title.

New Zealand’s day in cricket

 

October 20, 2024, will be remembered as New Zealand’s day in cricket. Hours before the women’s World Cup final, New Zealand’s men’s team defeated India in the Bengaluru Test by eight wickets – their first win in India in 36 years. Following the victory, New Zealand skipper Tom Latham sent his best wishes to the women’s team. 

New Zealand women did what their men could not do repeatedly, despite being so close to becoming world champions. 

New Zealand’s victory: A lesson for struggling teams

 

New Zealand’s performance in this tournament is a lesson for all teams that struggle. They arrived at the World Cup on the back of a 10-game losing streak. The closest they have reached to winning this was in the first edition of this tournament in 2009.  I had reported this final when they had bowed to England at Lord’s getting bowled out for 85 and England winning by six wickets. 

 

Stunning India was no fluke

When New Zealand stunned favorites India in this edition, it was dismissed as India’s overconfidence. Few acknowledged the spirited performance of a New Zealand team determined to conquer the World Cup. Their error-filled semifinal against the West Indies in Sharjah didn’t establish them as favourites for the final, but New Zealand transformed themselves in the title clash, playing positive cricket, fielding brilliantly, and bowling intelligently.

 

Amelia Kerr.. player of the final  and player of the tournament 

Record prize money for New Zealand’s triumph

 

New Zealand’s spirited and positive cricket earned them not only the championship but also the richest-ever prize money in the tournament’s history. They received $2.34 million, up from $1 million in 2023, while the runners-up, South Africa, received $1.17 million. This was the first time the competition had offered equal prize money to both men’s and women’s tournaments.

 

Where did South Africa go wrong?

 

Even strong teams sometimes make poor decisions in finals. South Africa’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss was a mistake, especially since New Zealand wasn’t considered the favourite. South Africa cracked under pressure after New Zealand posted a solid total. In fact, New Zealand’s captain, Sophie Devine, had planned to bat first if they had won the toss.

 

Halliday makes it a special day with Kerr 

 

Brooke Halliday played a crucial role for New Zealand, scoring 38 runs and supporting Amelia Kerr, who top-scored with 43. The pair added 57 runs in 44 balls. Kerr also starred with the ball, taking three wickets and a catch to earn both the Player of the Final and Player of the Series awards. She became the first player in Women’s T20 World Cup history to win both honors in the same tournament.

 

South Africa’s plans go awry in final overs

South Africa allowed New Zealand to score freely in the final five overs, pushing the total past the 150-mark and putting themselves under pressure. New Zealand added 48 runs in the last five overs, including 11 runs in the penultimate over and 16 in the final over, setting South Africa a record target for a Women’s T20 World Cup final.

 

A salute to Cricket South Africa

 

While the winner is always celebrated, it’s important to recognize South Africa's impressive journey. New Zealand's motivation from their win over India led them to victories over Sri Lanka by eight wickets, Pakistan by 54 runs and West Indies by eight runs in the semi-final. They had lost to the formidable Australia by 60 runs.  If  South Africa had not beaten Australia by 8 wickets in the semi-final, the script of the women’s T20 world cup may have been the same with Australia becoming champions again. Though South Africa lost the final, one should not forget to hail Cricket South Africa. Their men and women’s team reached the World T20 final this year, which is indeed remarkable. 

 

Tales of the world cup heroes 

 

No world cup is won without heroes and every hero will have a tale. It is important to know about them, their setbacks and how they rose to glory, for each of us to remain motivated on whatever we do even if you are not a player.  New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, for instance, was a multi-sport athlete who narrowly missed out being part of the New Zealand hockey team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The setback made her work hard in cricket and become one among the world’s finest cricketers.  

 

Amelia Kerr’s battle with depression

 

Amelia Kerr, the star of this World Cup, had faced struggles of her own. Four years ago, at the age of 21, she battled depression. She not only fought it but came up with an initiative – outoftherough.nz., to support people with mental depression and other related issues. This site has a collection of videos based on a series she did with people who have struggled with mental health. New Zealand opener Suzie Bates had represented her country’s basketball team in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Bates, Kerr and Devine are not just teammates but very close friends supporting each other through their journeys.

 

Fireworks and UAE’s role as hosts

The fireworks that followed New Zealand’s World Cup victory were spectacular, sending a message that the UAE always celebrates cricket’s triumphs. As hosts, the UAE plays a crucial role in ensuring cricket continues, stepping up when other countries are unable to stage events due to crises like COVID-19 or political turmoil. The fans in the UAE have supported every event, proving that, for them, good cricket is all that matters.

 

Scores in brief
New Zealand bt South Africa by 32 runs. New Zealand 158 for 5 in 20 overs (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2 for 31, Nadine de Klerk 1 for 17) South Africa 126 for 9 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 33, Tazmin Brits 17; Amelia Kerr 3 for 24, Rosemary Mair 3 for 25).
Player of the final and player of the series: Amelia Kerr