Tears of joy as New Zealand captain Sophie Devine leads White Ferns to historic maiden Women's T20 WC title

New Zealand batted first and managed to post a challenging total of 158-5 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was led by Kerr, whose crucial 43 runs off 38 balls provided stability to the team. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt chose to field after winning the toss. Kerr received valuable support from Brooke Halliday, who scored a quick 38 runs from 28 balls, and veteran Suzie Bates, who played a composed innings of 32 runs from 31 deliveries, laying a strong foundation for the team.

South African spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the bowlers for her side, finishing with figures of 2-31 from her four overs.

In response, South Africa got off to a promising start, reaching 51-1 in the seventh over, but their innings quickly unraveled as Kerr returned with the ball to stifle the chase. Despite a solid 27-ball 33 from Wolvaardt, South Africa lost crucial wickets at regular intervals, unable to build on their strong beginning. At the halfway mark, they found themselves at 64-3, falling behind the required rate as the pressure mounted.

Kerr's spell of 3-24 was the turning point, as she dismissed Wolvaardt and other key batters to ensure New Zealand remained on top throughout the chase. South Africa finished at 126-9 in their allotted 20 overs, never truly threatening New Zealand’s target after their early momentum faded.

The New Zealand players burst into emotional celebrations following the victory.

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The win marked New Zealand's redemption after years of near-misses in ICC tournaments. They last reached the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2010, but had fallen short on that occasion. This time, they ensured a different outcome, capping off a memorable campaign with their maiden title. For South Africa, it was another heartbreaking finish, following their runner-up performance in the 2023 edition.