Courtesy: ICC
On Friday, October 18, New Zealand defeated West Indies by eight runs in the second semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. With this massive triumph, New Zealand sealed a spot in the final of the prestigious ICC tournament, and they will be playing for the coveted trophy against South Africa in two day’s time at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
After winning the toss, Sophie Devine, the captain of New Zealand, decided to bat first at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium with its pitch expected to help the slower bowlers. Suzie Bates (33 off 31) and Georgia Plimmer (26 off 28) started the innings brilliantly for the White Ferns, putting together an opening stand of 48 runs in 8.2 overs, but from that point onwards, they kept on losing regular wickets throughout the innings amidst some exceptional bowling from West Indies.
No batter from New Zealand after their openers went past the 20-run mark, which meant that their innings meandered to 128/9 in the allotted overs, which could end up becoming a competitive score as the pitch started to wear down more heading into the second innings of the all-important Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 second semi-final. For West Indies, returning Deandra Dottin picked up a crucial four-wicket haul, while Afy Fletcher took a couple of wickets of her own as well.
In the run chase, the Women in Maroon lost the key wickets of their in-form Qiana Joseph and Shemaine Campbelle inside the power play, to find themselves in some early strife. The captain Hayley Mathews and Stafanie Taylor tried to build a partnership, but they were dismissed in quick succession before reaching their 20s, which meant that West Indies were 51/4 in 10.5 overs, staring down the barrel against New Zealand.
Following that, Deandra Dottin struck three maximums in her 33 off 22, to give some much needed impetus to West Indies, but Amelia Kerr picked up wicket at the best possible time for New Zealand, to keep them slightly ahead of their opponents, who were 96/6 in 16.3 overs in pursuit of 129-run target. Ultimately, Eden Carson’s three-wicket haul and an economical spell of four overs from Amelia Kerr, conceding just 14 runs for two wickets, proved to be enough for New Zealand to restrict West Indies to 120/8 in their innings.
