WELLINGTON, New Zealand — The New Zealand White Ferns cricket team, fresh off their thrilling 32-run victory against South Africa in the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup final held in Dubai, is set to receive a substantial cash prize of approximately US$2.3 million.
Each member of the team will take home around US$155,000, converting to NZ$256,000, a life-altering sum for athletes who have historically faced challenges in attaining financial equality compared to their male peers.
This win marks New Zealand’s first triumph in the shortest format of the World Cup and came as a significant surprise, especially considering the White Ferns had endured a streak of ten consecutive losses leading up to the tournament. However, a pre-tournament warm-up match victory against South Africa helped rejuvenate the team’s morale.
Following that pivotal win, New Zealand went on to secure victories against India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, suffering only a single defeat to Australia before reaching the semifinals. South Africa delivered a shocking upset by eliminating six-time champions Australia in their semifinal, while New Zealand bested the West Indies to earn a spot in the final.
In the title match, New Zealand set a score of 158-5 after batting first, with notable contributions from Suzy Bates (32 runs), Amelia Kerr (43 runs), and Brooke Halliday (38 runs). The bowling unit then excelled, with Kerr achieving figures of 3-24 and Rosemary Mair taking 3-25, successfully limiting South Africa to 126-9.
“It’s pretty unbelievable to be honest,” remarked Mair. “We were the underdogs coming into this tournament, so for our group to bounce back as we did is remarkable.”
She added, “We genuinely care about each other. We’ve faced numerous challenges over the past 18 months, but we’ve stood by one another and continued to work hard.”
Sophie Devine, the team captain, led the side for the final time; both she and Bates have participated in all nine editions of the T20 World Cup since its inception in 2009. New Zealand was a finalist in the tournament’s first two years but were defeated by Australia on both occasions.
Bates expressed the significance of the achievement, stating, “This means everything to us. In team sports, the ultimate goal is to become world champions.”
She highlighted Devine’s exceptional leadership, noting, “She has been incredible, displaying calmness and belief in us. We’ll probably share an extra long embrace later since we understand the challenging times we’ve endured together.”
The White Ferns were guided to their historic win by Australian coach Ben Sawyer, alongside former Black Caps players Dean Brownlie and Craig McMillan.
The team’s remarkable success did not go unnoticed, as New Zealand’s Sports Minister Chris Bishop commended their achievement on Monday. This victory came at the end of a remarkable weekend for New Zealand sports, which also included the nation retaining the America’s Cup along with the men’s cricket team earning a test win against India for the first time in 36 years.
“And to wrap up an incredible sporting weekend, the White Ferns, under the leadership of Sophie Devine, faced off against South Africa in the women’s T20 World Cup final early Monday morning and delivered an outstanding performance, bringing home their first World Cup since the One Day International in 2000,” Bishop stated.
“Amelia Kerr’s contributions of 43 runs off 38 balls, coupled with her exceptional bowling, truly set the stage for this magnificent team effort.”