Photo: AFP/ GIUSEPPE CACACE
The White Ferns have caused a major cricketing shock with victory over South Africa in the T20 Women's World Cup in Dubai.
It is New Zealand's first win in the T20 World Cup, and their first appearance in a final since they lost to Australia in 2010.
Led by Sophie Devine, the White Ferns won won by 32 runs, after scoring 158 for five in their 20 overs, with Melie Kerr top scoring with 43. Brooke Halliday hit 38 and opener Suzie Bates 32.
Cricket clubs host watch parties for White Ferns
The White Ferns celebrate their win in the Women's T20 World Cup cricket final against South Africa. Photo: GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP
South Africa got away to a blazing start in reply with Laura Volvaart and Tazmin Brits putting on 51 for the first wicket before spinner Fran Jonas got rid of Brits. That triggered a collapse with the next four wickets falling for 26 runs, with Kerr taking three of them.
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How the White Ferns sealed victory to become world champions
Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon then turned the innings back towards South Africa's way with a 20-run partnership, but a Suzie Bates catch put paid to Luus and the momentum swung back strongly to the White Ferns.
South Africa finished their 20 overs at 126 for nine.
The White Ferns have turned on a near flawless performance in the final. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Kerr, the undoubted player of the match, finished with three for 24 off her four overs.
The White Ferns came into the tournament after losing two series to women's cricket powerhouses, Australia and England. But the form book was turned on its head in the UAE as both those countries failed to make the final.
The win earned the team $3.85 million in prize money.
Pace bowler Rosemary Mair said it was an amazing feeling.
"Coming into the tournament all the odds were against us. For the group to bounce back like they have in this tournament is just unbelievable," she told Sky Sport.
"The batters put on a pretty fantastic total for us to defend. They [South Africa] got away to a great start in the power play and were looking good with the bat so to pull them back between six and 10 was great."
The White Ferns celebrate after South Africa's captain Laura Wolvaardt is dismissed. Photo: AFP / GIUSEPPE CACACE
Mair said the team had been through a lot of lows in the last 18 months. "We have just stuck by each other."
Bates said she was ''in shock''.
"This tournament, just little things went our way, and we have just played with real pride," she told Sky Sport.
"Whatever happened today I was so proud of the group but to think we have won the thing is unbelievable," she said.
Bates had a big embrace with Devine after the end of the South African innings.
"This means everything to us," Bates said.
"We have played team sport for so long. When you play team sport you want to be a champion and we have fought our way back to the top. We started with a few final opportunities but since then it has been pretty rare, and she's [Devine] been so outstanding leading this team."
The championship title win was a long time coming for Devine and Bates, who played in the first T20 World Cup in 2009.
'A long time between drinks' - Devine
At the prizegiving, Devine spoke about the big turnaround in form, with the White Ferns losing their last 10 games before beating India in their tournament opener.
"I started to let myself dream a little last night about what it would be like to hold that trophy up in front of that team. I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself, but it's hard to put into words what it means, not just for me, but for this group of players. For some of the players in this group, obviously Suzie and Lea (Tahuhu), and for New Zealand cricket, it's been a long time between drinks."
"I think the great thing about this group is we have known what we have been trying to achieve for, probably, the last 12, 18, 24 months, and results haven't gone our way but we knew we have been building in the right direction."
Devine said they had played England and Australia for about 15 games in a row before the World Cup.
"It was a pretty steep learning curve but we knew we kept taking steps in the right direction and absolutely you want momentum but I think we have just rewritten that a little bit.
"Coming off 10 losses in a row coming into a World Cup, where everyone starts at zero and it's everyone's game, it's pretty special."
Coach Ben Sawyer said even while they were losing before the tournament began they knew they were making headway and he was proud of how they had gone in the tournament, especially in the wins against India and then the final.
The team had been targeting 160 as a defendable total and they had almost achieved that in the final.
He described their performance in the final as "outstanding".
Sawyer said young players such as Georgia Plimmer, Eden Carson and Fran Jonas had been able to make worthwhile contributions during the tournament while gaining experience against the world's best players.
Win expected to have 'exciting' impact
Women's cricket enters a new era
NZ Cricket head of female engagement Jess Davidson said everyone was "ecstatic" about the victory.
"We are so incredibly proud of this team and what they've achieved."
She predicted it would have a big impact for girls coming through in the sport and encourage more to start playing.
"We're so excited for the impact this World Cup win will have for all our junior cricketers across New Zealand."
Programmes had already been set up that catered only for girls and she appealed to others who might be interested to visit their local club.
There was also an emphasis on assisting those who had hopes of a professional career with various initiatives to encourage them, and it would culminate in women's cricket recently being added to the 2028 Olympic programme.
"The shop window for women's cricket has never been so full," she said.
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