New Zealand defeated West Indies by eight runs in the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Friday, October 18, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Batting first, New Zealand scored a solid 128/9 in 20 overs on a challenging pitch, with contributions from Georgia Plimmer (33), Suzie Bates (26), and Isabella Gaze (20). Deandra Dottin was the standout bowler for West Indies, taking four wickets.
In response, Eden Carson (3/29) and Amelia Kerr (2/14) effectively restricted the West Indies to 120/8 in 20 overs. Despite Dottin’s cameo of 33 runs off 22 balls, she lacked support from her teammates, preventing West Indies from securing the win.
New Zealand players and their support staff were understandably thrilled after the final ball of the match as they celebrated their qualification for the World Cup final. You can watch the celebration video here:
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“Really privileged to have this incredible opportunity”-New Zealand captain Sophie Devine after the win against West Indies
During the post-match presentation, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine shared her thoughts on the significant victory, stating:
“It hasn’t sunk it at all yet. Still getting my brain out from being fried in the middle. Really privileged to have this incredible opportunity. The last few overs saved the bacon for us.”
“We felt we were a bit under par. But the way Izzi batted at the end and scraped through a few extra runs. We thought 130 would be a competitive total. But the highest here was 127 so we knew we were in with a great shout.”
She further continued:
“We have got nothing to lose and that’s a pretty good space to be in. South Africa are an incredible side. The way Laura Wolvaardt leads them… then Kapp and Bosch… but we’ll focus on ourselves. Hopefully the cricket gods will favour us too.”
New Zealand will face South Africa in the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Sunday (October 20) in Dubai. This match will see a first-time champion, as neither team has won the trophy before.
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