Dubai: New Zealand’s women’s cricket team made history on Sunday, winning their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup by defeating South Africa in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The victory marks a milestone for the White Ferns, as they become only the fourth nation to claim the prestigious title in the tournament’s history.
Led by captain Sophie Devine, New Zealand’s team delivered a stellar performance, both with bat and ball, to secure a 32-run victory over the Proteas. This win is New Zealand’s second major ICC Women’s tournament triumph, adding to their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup victory in 2000 on home soil.
Competing in their third T20 World Cup final and their first since 2010, the White Ferns put up a strong total of 158/5 after being asked to bat first by South Africa. Key contributions came from Melie Kerr, who top-scored with 43 runs, Brooke Halliday (38), and veteran Suzie Bates (32). Their disciplined batting display set a competitive target for South Africa.
In the second innings, New Zealand’s bowlers dominated the match. Kerr followed her batting heroics by taking 3 wickets for 24 runs, while Rosemary Mair also took 3 wickets for 25 runs. Their combined efforts restricted South Africa, who fell short of the target by 32 runs, allowing New Zealand to celebrate a long-awaited T20 World Cup title.
Ranked fourth in the world going into the tournament, New Zealand was placed in the highly competitive Group A, alongside top-ranked Australia and third-ranked India. After an opening win against India, the Kiwis advanced to the semi-finals as group runners-up behind Australia. They then edged past the West Indies in a thrilling semi-final, winning by just eight runs to book their spot in the final.
With this triumph, New Zealand joins Australia, England, and the West Indies as champions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The team will now look ahead to defending their title in England in 2026, where the tournament is set to expand to include 12 competing nations.