Choosing to bat first, Sophie Devine's BlackCaps struggled to post 128 for 9 on a tough Sharjah pitch where the ball wasn't coming onto the bat
New Zealand and West Indies battled fiercely for a spot in the Women's T20 World Cup final in a low-scoring showdown in Sharjah. One side made historical comeback to the finals, while the other tasted defeat on Friday, October 18. (Highlights | Full Coverage | More Cricket News)
New Zealand reached the Women's T20 World Cup final for the first time in 14 years, edging past 2016 champions West Indies by eight runs in a tense, low-scoring Semi-final 2 in Sharjah.
Choosing to bat first, Sophie Devine's BlackCaps could only post 128 for 9 on a tough Sharjah pitch where the ball wasn't coming onto the bat, but they did it.
Deandra Dottin was the standout for West Indies, grabbing 4 for 22.
However, their chase never gained momentum, with Eden Carson and the New Zealand bowlers restricting them to 25 for 2 in the powerplay.
Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor battled but could only muster a combined 28 off 41 balls, leaving West Indies struggling at 51 for 4, needing 78 from 55 deliveries.
Dottin once again gave hope to her side with a blistering 22-ball 33, smashing three sixes off Lea Tahuhu in one over to bring the target down to 34 from 24.
However, Amelia Kerr, the tournament's leading wicket-taker, ended Dottin's knock in the 17th over when she top-edged a sweep to short fine leg.
New Zealand weren’t flawless, dropping five catches in the field, but their bowlers managed to hold West Indies to 120 for 8.
In a fitting finish, Beijing Olympian Suzie Bates took charge of the final over with 15 runs needed, conceding only seven to secure the win for New Zealand.
New Zealand will face South Africa in Sunday’s final, guaranteeing a new champion will be crowned at the Women’s T20 World Cup on October 20 at Dubai International Stadium.
The Laura Wolvaardt-led South Africa women defeated mighty Australia in semi-final 1 to enter the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Thursday.
The final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 will be aired live on the Star Sports Network in India. The match will be available to live stream on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website in India.