Two unexpected finalists look to write their names into history
After almost three months of action in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), we have reached the Final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 with two unexpected teams set to battle it out for the trophy in Dubai.
South Africa beat the serial winners, Australia while New Zealand stunned West Indies in their semi-final to set up a date with each other and before the action kicks off, here’s our match preview and predictions.
The Proteas were the first finalists and Laura Wolvaardt and her girls put a stop to the mighty Australians who were on a 15-game unbeaten streak in the T20 World Cups. A clinical bowling effort led by Ayabonga Khaka and Marizanne Kapp saw South Africa restrict the Aussies to 134/5 before Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch powered the Proteas home to a comfortable eight wicket win. Not only did South Africa stun Australia but they simply outplayed the world champions, reading the pitch better and being better in all three disciplines.
Like South Africa, the other finalists, New Zealand have also made their way to the final by taking down the favourites, who were the West Indies. On the slow Sharjah track, barring Georgia Plimmer and Suzie Bates’ 48-run opening partnership, none of the other Kiwi batters got going until Isabella Gaze struck some crucial blows right at the end to get New Zealand to 128/9 as Deandra Dottin’s four-wicket haul seemed to have all-but sent the Windies into the final. New Zealand though, didn’t give up easily and led by Eden Carson and Amelia Kerr, it was a clinical and sublime bowling effort which saw the Kiwis steal a 9-run win, with Dottin once again threatening to take the game away with the bat but Kerr’s crucial breakthrough got the Kiwis back into the game,
While the game takes place in Dubai, it’s not an alien track to the New Zealand team, who played their semi-final in Sharjah and we should be in for another low-scoring encounter with the spin department of both teams set to play a crucial role. It should be an evenly matched game with the team that plays spin the best coming out on top but South Africa’s run in the event has been nothing short of magical and having taken down the mighty Australians, it will be advantage Proteas and we are going with the South African girls to do what the men’s team couldn’t do, lift the T20 World Cup.
Fantasy XI: Suzie Bates, Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt, Georgia Plimmer, Anneke Bosch, Amelia Kerr, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Marizanne Kapp, Eden Carson, Lea Tahuhu
Venue: Dubai
Winners Prediction: South Africa
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