🏏ICC Women's T20I WC 2024: Final - NZW vs SAW🏏 - Page 2

Batters to watch(Recent stats)

Georgia Plimmer, NZ-W

10 M • 239 Runs • 23.9 Avg • 107.17 SR

Suzie Bates, NZ-W

10 M • 236 Runs • 23.6 Avg • 95.93 SR

Laura Wolvaardt, SA-W

10 M • 313 Runs • 34.78 Avg • 119.46 SR

Tazmin Brits, SA-W

10 M • 307 Runs • 38.38 Avg • 103.02 SR

Bowlers to watch(Recent stats)

Amelia Kerr, NZ-W

10 M • 18 Wkts • 5.89 Econ • 12.38 SR

Eden Carson, NZ-W

9 M • 14 Wkts • 6.85 Econ • 14.14 SR

Nonkululeko Mlaba, SA-W

7 M • 11 Wkts • 6 Econ • 14.18 SR

Marizanne Kapp, SA-W

7 M • 7 Wkts • 4.25 Econ • 20.57 SR

Thank you Raji for the thread and for tagging me.

This will be an interesting match. I am sure, it won't be a one sided match!!

This highly competitive match-up sees South Africa holding a slight edge in their head-to-head record, promising an exhilarating contest as they vie for the title in women’s cricket.

New Zealand’s path to the final closely resembled that of South Africa. They, too, secured victories in three out of four league matches, finishing as the second team in their group. Led by Sophie Devine, the squad showcased impressive resilience in the semi-final, overcoming a determined West Indies team to earn their spot in the championship match.

South Africa heads into the final on the back of an outstanding league stage, where they triumphed in three of their four matches. Their sole setback occurred against England, but Laura Wolvaardt and her team rebounded strongly, finishing as the second team in their group to advance to the semi-finals. In a remarkable turn of events, they stunned the defending champions, Australia, with an eight-wicket victory, securing their place in the final.

Chloe Tryon on how SA changed from last year's final

“Playing that final, we put ourselves behind the eight ball. In such games, you have to be at 200%, and stay calm. We kind of got flustered, we do get flustered at times. But throughout this tournament, we have been calm and clear about how we want to go about things. It shows the growth of this team,” allrounder Tryon said.

All about the pitch and weather in Dubai

In the lead-up to the last two ICC finals, much of the focus centered on pitch conditions and unpredictable weather. Last year in Ahmedabad, the final’s surface wasn’t confirmed until a day before the match, while in Barbados this June, rain and the looming threat of a hurricane delayed India‘s departure. However, this time in Dubai, the drama surrounding the conditions is notably quieter.

The pitches in Dubai have favored spin, with captains frequently opting to take pace off the ball. Pakistan effectively used this strategy against New Zealand, and India learned the hard way, conceding 160 runs after playing three seamers in their opener.

A key factor has been the absence of dew, which played a major role in the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup. Without it, spin has remained effective, providing balance to the matches. While temperatures have cooled in recent weeks, the humid evenings continue to test the players’ fitness, adding an extra layer of challenge to the final.

Three grandmas of team NZ

When New Zealand take the field for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Dubai, veterans Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, and Lea Tahuhu, affectionately dubbed the “grandmas of the team”, will be chasing their first-ever T20I title. Together, the trio boasts an incredible 402 T20I appearances, making them the backbone of the New Zealand side.

“We are the grandmas of the team,” Bates joked ahead of the final, reflecting on the journey she, Devine, and Tahuhu have shared. “Lea with her bionic knee, Sophie having dealt with so much as captain, and me just keeping on going.”

Their perseverance has been key to New Zealand’s campaign, and Bates described reaching the semi-finals as a special moment. “We’ve experienced the ups and downs together. To realise we had given ourselves a shot at the title felt really special. We old girls look after each other and try to keep up with the younger players,” Bates added.

Impact innings by Bosch

South African Anneke Bosch faced sharp criticism for her batting leading up to the semi-final, as she struggled with a strike rate below a run-a-ball. Despite this, the team management stood by her, confident that a big performance was imminent. On Thursday, Bosch delivered with a brilliant unbeaten 74, a knock full of creativity and innovation that knocked Australia out. After such a standout performance, she’ll be aiming for another impactful innings in the final.

Some more interesting trivia before the match begins

– New Zealand‘s Amelia Kerr’s 12 wickets in this T20 World Cup rank as the third-highest for a bowler in a single edition. Just two more wickets on Sunday would see her surpass the joint record held by Anya Shrubsole and Megan Schutt

– South Africa‘s Anneke Bosch‘s unbeaten 74 in the semi-final stands as the tournament’s highest individual score so far

15:56 (IST) 20 Oct 2024

South Africa vs New Zealand Live Cricket Score: A look at some interesting trivia and stats

– Suzie Bates is on the verge of becoming the most capped player in women’s international cricket, surpassing Mithali Raj’s record of 333 matches

– SA skipper Laura Wolvaardt has surpassed Dane van Niekerk to claim the title of South Africa‘s highest run-scorer in a T20 World Cup

– New Zealand has only lost one wicket in the power play throughout this tournament

Thanks for the tag

*Bazball*

All The Best to both teams