In a heart-wrenching finale to the Women’s T20 World Cup, South Africa fell short in their quest for a maiden title, losing to New Zealand by 32 runs. This defeat added another disappointment to their record, following their runner-up finish in the previous tournament, extending their wait for a World Cup triumph.
The Proteas opted to field first after winning the toss, but their strategy took a hit as Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer quickly set the tone with aggressive strokes. However, Ayabonga Khaka skillfully adjusted her lengths, resulting in Plimmer’s dismissal by Sune Luus at long-on in the second over. Amelia Kerr joined Bates and kept the momentum going for the Kiwis as New Zealand eventually managed to set an impressive target of 158 runs, the second-highest total in a Women’s T20 World Cup final, powered by a remarkable surge of 73 runs in the last six over.
Despite a strong start, South Africa could only muster 126 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Laura Wolvaardt was the standout performer, top-scoring with 33 runs off 27 balls. However, their promising opening partnership of 51 runs with Tazmin Brits was cut short when Brits were dismissed by Fran Jonas in the seventh over, shifting the momentum in favor of New Zealand.
As the innings unfolded, the pressure escalated for South Africa. Captain Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch both fell victim to the impressive bowling of Amelia Kerr within the same over, while Rosemary Mair added to their woes by claiming three wickets, significantly hampering South Africa’s chances of chasing down the target.
For the South African players, the tears flowed as they confronted yet another near miss in their pursuit of World Cup glory. The weight of disappointment was evident as they came to terms with the reality that the trophy they so desperately desired had once again eluded them.
In just a few months of 2024, South Africa’s cricket teams faced heartbreak in both the men’s and women’s T20 World Cup Finals. The men’s team narrowly lost to India by 6 runs in Barbados, while the women’s team got outplayed by the White Ferns.
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
