After intense and scintillating clashes with the best women's teams in the cricket space, the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup draws its curtains with New Zealand scalping their first-ever title against a promising South African side. In summary of their experience and the emerging players' squad, the White Ferns have surpassed the ten robust arsenals needed to win this tournament after being two-time runners-up.

As mentioned earlier, the tournament has seen the clash of best vs best, with many promising players displaying impeccable calibre and intent. By this, all these players deserve to be a part of one team, which implies their performance. That said, here's the Best Playing XI, the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup edition. 

1.Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa)

Laura Wolvaardt has been the face of South Africa's top-order batting, with her captaincy skills being the cherry on the top. Leading her Proteas side for the first time and leading to their second-consecutive Women's T20 World Cup is no minor deal. Her stint of 223 runs in six matches, with a half-century and an average of over 45, has made her the highest run-scorer of the ninth edition of the tournament.

2. Tazmin Brits (South Africa)

Runners-up South Africa's major positive takeaway would be their batting performance, and it is no surprise that the openers have created the foundation for it. With the opening captain, Laura Wolvaardt, the second opener, also fulfilled the expectations in the form of Tazmin Brits. She helped bolster the batting and gave the team the attacking start desired. In her six-match tournament stint, she has made 187 runs, averaging over 38 and one half-century.

3. Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (England)

Dannielle Wyatt has associated with the women's English side as a reliable run-getter. As it implies, she has helped the side make some runs in their group-stage end run. She has scored 151 runs in just four matches, at a commendable average of over 50.

4. Sophie Devine (New Zealand) (Captain)

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine is one of the few women's cricket circle players representing her national side in all the Women's T20 World Cup tournaments. As an experienced campaigner, Devine ended her captaincy stint on a high by leading their White Ferns side to their first-ever Women's T20 World Cup title. Making her the captain of this Best XI squad is a no-brainer. She has made 116 runs in six matches at an average of over 30 in the tournament.

5. Amelia Kerr (New Zealand)

Amelia Kerr has got her recognition for her all-rounder ability. But, this time, her bowling expertise did the trick for the triumphant New Zealand side in the tournament. Kerr has helped her side scalp crucial wickets at the right game time. Being the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, she has taken 15 wickets in just six matches, with one four-wicket haul and made 135 runs

6. Alyssa Healy (Australia) (Wicketkeeper)

Though Alyssa Healy got injured mid-way through the tournament, Alyssa Healy deserves to be on this list. Dealing with the slow and turning pitches, she has made vital decisions in restricting the opposition batters to minimal scores, considering the intensity of the T20I format. In her short three-match stint, she has made 67 runs but has a noteworthy strike rate and an average of over 145 and 34, respectively.

Also Read: Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Flop Playing XI of the Tournament

7. Afy Fletcher (West Indies)

Though the 2016 West Indies champions couldn't convert a triumph after a stellar performance, Afy Fletcher is one of the players behind the Carribean's side performance. The right-arm leg spinner dominated in the spin-friendly conditions of UAE and scalped ten wickets in just five matches.

8. Annabel Sutherland (Australia)

Annabel Sutherland did her usual business of being the go-to spin option for the Aussies side. Sutherland deserves to be the second-leading spinner, thanks to her performance in the tournament. She has taken nine wickets in five matches, signifying her impact with the ball and spin.

9. Rosemary Mair (New Zealand)

Rosemary Mair from the champion New Zealand side did the trick by delivering quick and pace deliveries to the batters. In just six appearances of the tournament, she has scalped ten wickets at an economy of just five, with one four-wicket haul.

10. Nonukuleko Mlaba (South Africa)

Nonukuleko Mlaba from the South African side would help robusten this Best XI spinmeister's attack. Known for delivering slow, yet confusing and over-the-top deliveries, Mlaba has scalped 12 wickets in just six matches at an economy of just 5.66.

11. Megan Schutt (Australia)

Megan Schutt symbolises consistency for the Women's Australia pace department. She has been an integral part of Australia's seam assault with her huge inswingers and leg cutter as her signature deliveries, which can be vividly seen in her tournament stint. She has taken eight wickets in five outings at a praiseworthy economy of just four.

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 just ended as New Zealand Women won their first Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. South Africa Women once again finished as the runners-up, which they recorded in two consecutive editions. 

During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates, where ten teams participated and 23 matches were played, we experienced some great performances. 

Here, we are going through the top five performances in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Megan Schutt (Australia Women): 3/3 (vs New Zealand Women) in Group Stage

It was a crucial Group A match between Australia Women and New Zealand Women. After Australia Women chose to bat first at Sharjah, the six-time champions scored 148/8, which was a challenging total. However, the right-arm medium pacer’s disciplined bowling confirmed the no easy breath for the White Ferns batting.

Starting the second innings with a maiden over,  Megan Schutt dismissed New Zealand opener Georgia Plimmer for only four runs in her second over, where she conceded only two runs. The White Ferns never made a comeback in the chasing as the 31-year-old dismissed set Amelia Kerr (29) in the 12th over of the innings, where she conceded only one run. Schutt returned to bowl the final over, where she dismissed Eden Carson (5) on the second delivery to confirm their victory by 60 runs after bundling out New Zealand Women for 88 runs.

Schutt ended the match with the bowling figures of 3.2-1-3-3, where she delivered 18 dot balls. 

Sophie Devine (New Zealand Women): 57 not out (vs India Women) in Group Stage

It was the first match of the tournament for both New Zealand Women and India Women in Group A. After New Zealand Women captain Sophie Devine chose to bat first at Dubai, they scored 55/0 at the end of the powerplay. However, the White Ferns were struggling after the powerplay.

When Amelia Kerr was dismissed in the 14.2 overs, New Zealand Women scored 99/3. It meant that they scored 44 runs from 50 balls in the post-powerplay. However, set-batter Devine played an inspirational innings that helped New Zealand Women manage the first batting total of 160/4.

Although Devine started slowly by scoring six runs off the first 10 balls, she then hit two consecutive fours in the 13th over. Between the 15th and 16th overs, Devine hit three fours in four balls. In the last four overs, Devine played only one dot ball and added 24 runs in 14 balls, where the right-handed batter hit two fours. Devine ended that innings with 57 not out in 36 balls with the help of seven fours.

In reply, India Women were all out for only 102 runs, where the White Ferns skipper also took three catches. Although Rosemary Mair (4/19) and Lea Tahuhu (3/15) dominated with the ball, captain Devine won the Player of the Match award. 

Hayley Matthews (West Indies Women): 50 runs (vs England Women) in Group Stage

Talking about this match, it was a must-win game for both teams, and both the Caribbean openers Qiana Joseph and captain Hayley Matthews can be considered for this list, but here we are talking about Hayley Matthews rather than the Player of the Match Qiana Joseph.

West Indies Women had a target of 142 runs, and they needed to reach the target faster to earn the top spot of the Group B points table. 

Unlike her opening partner Joseph, who was dropped three times, Matthews’ batting was more solid. After hitting an over-boundary on the second ball of the innings, the Caribbean captain hit two more fours in that first over of the second innings. It set the tone for West Indies Women. She hit four fours in the late part of the powerplay, including three fours in the final four balls of the sixth over. 

After scoring 35 off 19 balls at the end of the powerplay, Matthews continued her dominant batting with Joseph. They had a 102-run partnership for the first wicket, where Matthews completed her 14th T20I fifty in 37 balls. After scoring 50 off 38 balls, Matthews was dismissed. West Indies Women comfortably reached the target in 18 overs after losing only four wickets.  

Anneke Bosch (South Africa Women): 74 not out (vs Australia Women) in Semi-final

Well, you are beating the six-time champions and seven-time finalists in the semi-final, and there is no special performance; it only becomes odd. However, this strange thing is not the case for South Africa Women. 

Chasing down the 135-run target at Dubai, South Africa Women’s in-form opener Tazmin Brits was dismissed early for 15 runs. While the skipper and another opener Laura Wolvaardt required a good partner, the No. 3 batter Anneke Bosch played a stunning innings. Bosch was struggling in the entire tournament as she was failing to manage her strike rate of over 100, but the semifinal match was completely different for her. 

Bosch got a good start as she hit back-to-back two fours while facing the first 10 balls. While she strongly maintained her 100+ strike rate, her batting in the 12th and 13th overs just put the favourites Aussies in a hopeless situation. After hitting one four and one six to Georgia Wareham in the 12th over, she hit two fours to Ashleigh Gardner in the 13th over. 

While Wolvaardt was out after scoring 42 runs, Bosch ensured Proteas’ historic win against Australia Women by scoring 74 not out off 48 balls with the help of eight fours and one six. Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest batting performances in tournament history. 

Amelia Kerr (New Zealand Women): 43 and 3/24 (vs South Africa Women) in Final

New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr was unstoppable in the entire tournament, especially with the ball, where she took at least one wicket in every match. In fact, she picked up at least two wickets in the last five games. With 15 wickets (the most wickets in the tournament) and 135 runs (ninth most run-scorer), Kerr won the Player of the Tournament award. 

In this article, we are talking about her performance in the final, where she won the Player of the Match award for her brilliant all-round performances. After South Africa Women sent the White Ferns to bat first at Dubai, New Zealand Women scored 158/5 in 20 overs. 

Kerr came to bat in the second over and hit a four on the first ball. She then batted patiently till the 14th over, before which she hadn’t hit another boundary. In the 15th over, she hit a four to Nadine de Klerk. In the last five overs of the innings, before Kerr was dismissed in the 19th over, she scored 16 runs in 10 balls with two fours. Nonkululeko Mlaba dismissed Kerr for 43 runs off 38 balls. 

Later in the bowling, Kerr returned with the best bowling figures in the match with 4-0-24-3. She dismissed the in-form captain and set batter Loura Wolvaardt (33) and Anneke Bosch (9) in her second over. In her last over, Annerie Dercksen (10) was caught out at extra cover. South Africa Women only managed to score 126/9, as New Zealand Women won the match by 32 runs. 

In the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, New Zealand Women set a competitive target of 159 runs for South Africa Women at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After being put into bat by South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt, New Zealand Women posted 158/5 in their 20 overs.

The match saw impressive performances from both teams, especially during critical partnerships and key bowling spells that kept the contest tightly balanced.

Strong performances by Amelia Kerr and Brooke Halliday

New Zealand opener Georgia Plimmer was dismissed early, but veteran Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr stabilized the innings with a 37-run partnership for the second wicket. Bates contributed 32 off 31 balls, but it was Kerr's steady presence that anchored the innings.

Amelia Kerr's 43 off 38 balls proved crucial, especially when she teamed up with Brooke Halliday for a vital 57-run partnership. Halliday's 38 off 28 balls kept the momentum going, setting a strong platform for the White Ferns. Kerr's composed knock featured four boundaries, helping her side post a competitive total.

 

 

 

 

 

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White Ferns accelerate in the final overs

New Zealand Women finished their innings strongly, adding 41 runs in the last four overs. Maddy Green played an important cameo, smashing 12 not out from just six balls, including a massive six, which was the only one of the innings. Green's final push took the total close to the 160-run mark, ensuring that South Africa Women would face a challenging chase.

The White Ferns batted strategically during the slog overs, adding critical runs while maintaining wickets in hand. Despite a few hiccups, their late acceleration kept the pressure on the South African bowlers.

See Also: Watch: Mohammed Shami confidently bowling in nets

South Africa’s Nonkululeko Mlaba shines with two wickets

Among South Africa Women’s bowlers, Nonkululeko Mlaba stood out with impressive figures of 2/31 in her four overs. She played a key role by breaking important partnerships, including dismissing the dangerous Amelia Kerr.

Ayabonga Khaka, Chloe Tryon, and Nadine de Klerk also contributed with one wicket each, but it wasn’t enough to prevent New Zealand from setting a formidable total.

 

 

 

 

 

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New Zealand Women are the third time lucky as they beat South Africa Women by 32 runs in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Final in Dubai to lift their first Women's T20 World Cup trophy. 

After South Africa Women captain Laura Wolvaardt chose to field first, New Zealand Women scored 158/5 in 20 overs. In reply, South Africa Women were restricted to 126/9 in 20 overs.

Bates and Kerr provided a controlled start

Although the in-form opener Georgia Plimmer scored only nine runs, another opener Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr handled the powerplay well, as the White Ferns scored 43/1 at the end of the powerplay. 

Kerr set another important partnership with Halliday

After Bates (32) and captain Sophie Devine (6) were dismissed, Kerr set a game-changing partnership of 57 runs with Brooke Halliday. While Halliday scored 38 off 28 balls with three fours, Kerr scored 43 off 38 balls with four fours.

Maddy Green also had an important cameo of 12 not out in six balls with the help of one six. 

Among the South African bowlers, only Nonkululeko Mlaba took more than one wicket as she ended with the bowling figures of 4-0-31-2. 

South African openers provided a perfect start

In reply, South African in-from openers, skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, provided a strong start. South Africa Women scored 47/0 at the end of the powerplay as they set up a 51-run partnership for the first wicket.

Kerr again dominated with Mair

While Brits was dismissed for 17 runs, Wolvaardt lost her wicket after scoring 33 off 27 balls with five fours. Proteas couldn’t handle the post-powerplay pressure as their batting collapsed once the openers were dismissed. Chloe Tryon (14) and Annerie Dercksen (10) are the other two batters to reach the double-digit figures in that innings, but there was no fight in the end.

Among the New Zealand Women bowlers, Amelia Kerr (3/24) and Rosemary Mair (3/25) picked up three wickets each. 

Awards

All-rounder Amelia Kerr won the Player of the Match award and Player of the Tournament awards. In this tournament, she finished as the leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets and also scored 135 runs (ninth most run-scorer). 

New Zealand Women set a 159-run target for South Africa Women at the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

After South Africa Women’s captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss, she decided to field first. New Zealand Women scored 158/5 in 20 overs. 

New Zealand scored 43/1 at powerplay 

In-form opener Georgia Plimmer was dismissed by Ayabonga Khaka in the second over. However, the other opener Suzie Bates had a good partnership with Amelia Kerr. At the end of the powerplay, New Zealand Women scored 43/1. 

Bates and Kerr had a 37-run partnership for the second wicket. After Nonkululeko Mlaba bowled Bates for 32 runs off 31 balls (three fours), captain Sophie Devine (6) lost her wicket cheaply to Nadine de Klerk. 

Amelia Kerr set a strong 50+ partnership with Halliday

Kerr and Brooke Halliday then set a game-changing partnership for the fourth wicket. In that partnership, they added 57 runs in seven overs. 

After Chloe Tryon dismissed Halliday for 38 off 28 balls (three fours), Kerr scored 43 off 38 balls with four fours before losing her wicket against Mlaba. 

White Ferns batted strongly in the slog overs

In the end, Maddy Green played a useful cameo of 12 not out in six balls with one over-boundary to make the score close to 160 runs. She was the only six hitter in that innings. 

In the last four overs, the White Ferns added 41 runs for the loss of two wickets. In that slog-overs period, the batting side hit two fours and one six. 

Mlaba took two wickets

Among the South Africa Women bowlers, Nonkululeko Mlaba got two wickets, as she finished with the bowling figures of 4-0-31-2. Khaka (1/44), Tryon (1/22), and De Klerk (1/17) picked up one wicket each.  

South Africa Women and New Zealand Women are set for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai) is hosting the final of the tournament. 

Both teams haven't won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup title. So, we are set to see a new champion team at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024. New Zealand Women previously played two WT20 WC finals in the first two editions, but suffered defeats against England Women and Australia Women, respectively, to finish as the runners-up both times.

Meanwhile, South Africa Women reached the final of the tournament in the 2023 edition. However, the hosts Proteas suffered a defeat against Australia Women in the final. 

Venue status

Dubai International Cricket Stadium already hosted 11 matches in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, including one semi-final. Out of those matches, seven games experienced successful chasing and the other four battles saw dominating defending results. 

Toss Report

South Africa Women's captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and chose to field first. 

What captains said at the toss

Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Women): We gonna have a bowl first, it worked really well for us in the tournament and we are gonna stick to that. New venue, new opponents and new day, so we gotta work really hard. Same eleven. Credit to our medical staff as well for getting us on the pitch.

Sophie Devine (New Zealand Women): We were gonna have a bat anyway, so it has worked out well for both teams. Looks like a good surface and we want to put runs on the board in a final. We have really embraced those changes that come with being in the final, extra media attention and extra crowd and what not, such an awesome opportunity and privilege to be here, so we are just soaking it all in. We are playing the same eleven. Tom and the boys did a fantastic job in India, first Test win over there for a wee while. We certainly take motivation from them and what they are capable of doing.

Playing XIs

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (Captain), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka

New Zealand Women: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (Captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

India’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE was riddled with challenges, one of the most notable being the underwhelming performance of vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Known for her elegance at the crease and often touted as India's best batter, much was expected from her in this crucial tournament. However, Mandhana failed to deliver, managing only 75 runs across four innings, with an average of 18.75 and a strike rate of 94.93. These figures were far below her usual standards, and fans were left disappointed. Her sole bright spot came in the form of a fifty against Sri Lanka, which was her only significant contribution. In the other matches, she struggled to find rhythm, falling short of expectations, and could not anchor India’s innings when it mattered most.

What made her struggles even more concerning was her consistent vulnerability against spin. Leading up to the World Cup, Mandhana had shown signs of trouble in the warm-up matches, where she was dismissed cheaply by spinners in both games. Unfortunately, the pattern persisted in the tournament itself, where spinners accounted for three of her four dismissals, and she was also run out once. As a key player for India, her inability to navigate spin bowling was a major factor in the team’s overall batting woes, raising questions about her preparation and form.

See Also: What led to India Women's early exit in the T20 world cup 2024?

Smriti Mandhana’s Wake-Up Call in T20 World Cup 2024

Smriti Mandhana’s performance in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 revealed a series of struggles that defined India’s campaign. Starting as a key player and vice-captain, expectations were high for the experienced opener to lead India’s charge. However, her performances fell well below her usual standards. In four matches, her overall contribution was limited to 75 runs, with a mixed bag of strike rates across different stages of her innings. This tournament exposed significant gaps in her ability to build and accelerate innings, particularly against spin, which played a role in her downfall.

Against New Zealand, Mandhana started relatively well, scoring 11 runs in the first 10 balls at a strike rate of 110, showcasing some intent. However, her ability to build on that momentum faltered, as she managed just 1 more run in the next 10 balls, with her strike rate plummeting to 50. Her early dismissal put India on the back foot, a trend that persisted throughout the tournament. She failed to capitalize on the powerplay, leaving her teammates to shoulder the burden of run-scoring.

Her struggles were even more evident in the game against Pakistan. Mandhana’s start was cautious, as she scored 6 runs in 10 balls at a strike rate of 60. However, her inability to rotate the strike and find boundaries after this start hurt India. In the next 10-ball phase, she could only add 1 run, dropping her strike rate drastically to 16.67. This failure to push the scoring rate or anchor the innings became a recurring issue, as Mandhana fell short of providing the platform India desperately needed.

The match against Sri Lanka offered a brief glimpse of Mandhana’s usual prowess. After scoring 6 runs in the first 10 balls at a modest strike rate of 60, she picked up the pace in the next phase. She added 20 runs at an impressive strike rate of 200, signaling a return to form. However, this was not the end of her contribution—Mandhana managed to score 24 more runs beyond the 20-ball mark, finishing with a strike rate of 133.33. Despite this strong knock, her performance was a lone bright spot in an otherwise lackluster tournament.

In the final match against Australia, Mandhana's struggles resurfaced. She managed just 5 runs in the first 10 balls at a strike rate of 50. Once again, her innings ended prematurely, leaving India without a solid start. This match epitomized her tournament woes—trouble against quality bowling, lack of fluency, and vulnerability to spinners, who accounted for most of her dismissals in the World Cup.

Overall, Mandhana’s performance in the 2024 T20 World Cup highlighted key areas of concern. While she showed sparks of brilliance against Sri Lanka, her inability to rotate strike, accelerate consistently, and handle spin left India in difficult positions. Her form slump was one of the major reasons behind India’s struggles, raising questions about her preparation and adaptability in pressure situations.

See Also: A Breakdown of India’s Stellar Batting Performance

The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is set for the final where South Africa Women and New Zealand Women will face each other at Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Dubai) on Sunday evening. 

Both South Africa Women and New Zealand Women ended their group stage in the second position of their respective groups after earning six points each. In the group stage, South Africa Women lost against England Women, and New Zealand Women lost against Australia Women, and both won their other three fixtures.

In the semi-finals of the tournament, South Africa Women claimed a dominant win against six-time champions Australia Women by eight wickets, and New Zealand Women secured an eight-run victory against West Indies Women in the last-over thriller. 

Now, we are ready to see a new champion of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. New Zealand Women lost finals in the first two editions of the tournament, and South Africa Women lost the 2023 edition final. 

New Zealand Women

Amelia Kerr is playing a huge role, especially with the ball. She has a big influence on New Zealand Women’s successes in this tournament. Among the batters, Georgia Plimmer has performed with discipline. 

Amelia Kerr: Leg-spinner Amelia Kerr is the leading wicket-taker in this tournament with 12 wickets, including four wickets against Australia Women and three wickets against Pakistan Women. She is busy as an all-rounder in this tournament, as she played two important innings as a batter by scoring 29 and 34 not out against Australia Women and Sri Lanka Women, respectively. Kerr can win the Player of the Tournament award for her consistently valuable performances. 

Eden Carson: The off-spinner Eden Carson has taken eight wickets in this tournament. In the last two matches, she won the Player of the Match awards for taking two and three wickets, respectively. In the semi-final against West Indies Women, she provided a good start with the ball for the White Ferns. 

Georgia Plimmer: In this tournament, the right-handed batter Georgia Plimmer impressed highly. After scoring 34 against India Women, she scored 53 against Sri Lanka Women, and 33 in the semi-final against West Indies Women. Plimmer won the Player of the Match award against Sri Lanka Women for her match-winning half-century. 

Sophie Devine: New Zealand Women’s captain Sophie Devine started the tournament with a Player of the Match award for a crucial 57 not out. However, in the next games, she scored 7, 13 not out, 19, and 12 runs, respectively.  

Rosemary Mair: The right-arm medium pacer Rosemary Mair has taken seven wickets in this competition. She took four wickets against India Women and two wickets against Australia Women. 

South Africa Women

South Africa Women's top orders are in great form. While Marizanne Kapp is influencing with her all-round performances, Nonkululeko Mlaba is a consistent performer among the bowlers.  

Laura Wolvaardt: Captain Laura Wolvaardt is the leading run-scorer in the ongoing tournament with 190 runs (average 47.50). She scored 59 not out, 42, 40, and 7 runs in the group stage before scoring 42 runs in the semi-final against Australia Women. 

Tazmin Brits: Tazmin Brits is the second-most run-scorer in this competition with 170 runs (average 42.50). She scored 57 not out against West Indies Women in their tournament opener, then the opener scored back-to-back 40s against Scotland Women (43) and Bangladesh Women (42). She won the Player of the Match award against Bangladesh Women. 

Marizanne Kapp: All-rounder Marizanne Kapp is an important name on this team. She has taken five wickets and scored 82 runs with an incredible strike rate of 151.85. She won the Player of the Match against Scotland Women for scoring 43 runs off 24 balls. 

Nonkululeko Mlaba: The left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba has picked up 10 wickets in this competition. Her four-wicket haul against West Indies Women secured the Player of the Match award, and she also took three wickets against Scotland Women. 

Anneke Bosch: After struggling the entire group stage, where her highest score was 25 against Bangladesh Women, she stormed in the crucial semi-final against Australia Women, where she scored the match-winning 74 not out off 48 balls. She won the Player of the Match award which will be remembered forever. 

SA-W vs NZ-W Match Preview

The regular-season games are over, and we've had two exciting semifinals. We're in the final of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024. South Africa Women will face New Zealand Women in this big game, as the world waits to crown a new champion. South Africa will be confident after defeating the defending champs Australia Women in the first semi-final. New Zealand Women defeated West Indies Women in the second semi-final. The South Africa Women's team has been in good form in recent games. They have only lost once in their last six games while defeating formidable opponents. Their batters are in good form, which will give the team confidence. 

SA-W vs NZ-W Match Details

South Africa-W vs New Zealand-W – Final Match, Women's World Cup 2024

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Date & Time: 20th October 2024 at 07:30 PM IST 

Live Streaming: Disney+Hotstar

SA-W vs NZ-W Venue Stats

SA-W vs NZ-W Pitch Report

The pitch is small, and the outfield is extremely fast. There isn't much for bowlers to work with, and both quick bowlers and spinners have struggled on this track.

SA-W vs NZ-W Weather Report

It will be a warm evening, and we expect a batting-friendly wicket where fast bowlers will struggle. 

SA-W vs NZ-W Last Five Matches

SA-W vs NZ-W Head-to-Head Stats

Injury News

No Injury. Will be added when there is an update.

Also Read: Women's T20 World Cup 2024: India suffer a big defeat against New Zealand

SA-W vs NZ-W Probable Playing XIs:

New Zealand-W Probable Playing XIs

Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

South Africa-W Probable Playing XIs

Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka

Topmost Picks for SA-W vs NZ-W Dream11 Prediction:

Top Picks – South Africa-W

• Laura Wolvaardt – Laura Wolvaardt is the leading run-scorer of this tournament and is averaging 47.50. She has scored at least 40 runs in 4 of her last 5 games.
• Nonkululeko Mlaba – Nonkululeko Mlaba has picked up 10 wickets. She bowled a dream spell in the last game and shall look to put pressure on the batters in the middle overs

Top Picks – New Zealand-W

• Georgia Plimmer –  She was the standout performer with the bat for New Zealand women and finished the innings with the top-score 53 runs off 44 balls with the help of four boundaries.
• Amelia Kerr – She is the leading wicket-taker for the team with 7 wickets. 

Suggested Playing XI N0.1 for SA-W vs NZ-W Dream11 Team:

Maddy Green, Laura Wolvaardt(VC), Tazmin Brits, Georgia Plimmer, Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr(C), Sophie Devine, Marizanne Kapp, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Eden Carson, Ayabonga Khaka

Suggested Playing XI N0.2 for SA-W vs NZ-W Dream11 Team:

Maddy Green, Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Marizanne Kapp(C), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Eden Carson(VC), Rosemary Mair, Ayabonga Khaka

Captain and Vice-Captain Options:

Captain – Marizanne Kapp, Amelia Kerr

Vice-captain – Eden Carson, Laura Wolvaardt

Wicketkeeper – Maddy Green

SA-W vs NZ-W Probable Winners:

It is a high-pressure game, and neither team wants to finish second after coming this far in the competition. New Zealand is punching above its weight and boasts a formidable bowling attack. However, the batting lineup has not been at its peak, and they must perform well if the team is to win. The South Africans have been clinical, winning games by wide margins. We anticipate a close dispute, but the South Africans have an advantage based on their current form. Considering the team combination, New Zealand-W is expected to win this match.

A first time winner beckons as two nations with an iconic and underrated sporting history take each other on. South Africa made the World Cup Final with their mens side four months ago and lost in an epic manner of their own. New Zealand has a close history with Dubai, having seen their mens team lose the Final here in 2021. With the Womens team though, New Zealand will be the one with a little more to look at. Their last final came back in 2010 when Ellyse Perry's iconic kick ended New Zealand's hopes.

SA-W vs NZ-W Match Details

Date: October 20th, 2024

Time:  7:30 PM IST

Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium

SA-W vs NZ-W Weather Report

A hot evening with minimal dew is expected.

SA-W vs NZ-W Pitch Report

Spin is likely to play a large part in the upcoming game. Batting first with the dew factor unlikely is a better option.

SA-W vs NZ-W Predicted Playing XI

NZ-W Playing XI

George Plimmer, Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine, Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabelle Gaze, Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

SA-W Playing XI

Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tyron, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Sinao Jafta, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka

SA-W vs NZ-W Key Players

Anneke Bosch

Bosch has faced criticsm for her strike-rate and intent, but that has silently been a pretty big help for South Africa on the slow pitches. She has been batting pretty well and her performances finally came through in the Semi-Final with an enterprising 74. With big games often depended on that one good innings, she has the capability of ensuring the game rests on her as South Africa look to get some silverware.

Sophie Devine

Sophie Devine was in the middle of it all when New Zealand lost off the Final ball in the 2010 World Cup Final. She was the one who played the shot onto Perry's leg and now she stands as captain of the New Zealand side one last time. A generation has come and gone over the fourteen years of her time in the team and she now has a huge chance at finishing off a memorable captaincy career with a World Title.

See Also: Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Ranking all ten participating teams based on their final squads (cricketwinner.com)

SA-W vs NZ-W Match Tips

Both sides come into the Final after not having much expectations on them coming into the tournament. They are known to crumble in the tough moments and the upcoming game could be a battle of who crumbles first and who makes the fewer mistakes.

Match Prediction: New Zealand Will Win the Match