New Zealand booked their place in the T20 World Cup final after surviving a late charge from West Indies to hold for a dramatic eight-run victory in Sharjah.
Georgia Plimmer (33) and Suzie Bates (26) put on a 48-run opening stand for New Zealand, before Deandra Dottin (4-22) and Afy Fletcher (2-23) led the West Indies fightback and restricted them to 128-9.
Eden Carson took three quick wickets in reply to leave the West Indies reeling at 41-3, starting with the key scalp of Qiana Joseph (12), with Hayley Matthews (15) also falling to Lea Tahuhu as New Zealand grabbed control of the contest.
Dottin survived being dropped on multiple occasions to fire three sixes in an over and keep the West Indies alive, although Amelia Kerr (2-14) dismissed her for 33 to reduce hopes of them reaching their first Women’s T20 World Cup final since the 2016 success.
The West Indies required 15 from the final over but only managed six to leave them short on 120-8, as New Zealand set up a showdown with South Africa – who defeated Australia in the other semi-final – in Sunday’s final in Dubai.
How New Zealand edged semi-final thriller
A solid – yet unspectacular – opening New Zealand partnership ended when Bates failed to make contact on an attempted scoop, seeing her bowled by Ramharack, with New Zealand only reaching 54-1 at the halfway stage as the West Indies attack impressed.
Amelia Kerr (seven) was dropped when the ball went through Chinelle Henry’s fingers and hit the fielder flush on the head, seeing her leave the ball for treatment, although fell with the next delivery as she chipped Dottin to Ramharack to mid-off.
Shemaine Cambelle stumped Plimmer after she went dancing down the wicket to Fletcher, before Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine quickly accelerated to add 24 from the next two overs and push New Zealand towards a competitive total.
Halliday was bowled by Dottin, immediately after receiving physio after falling to the ground chasing a second, with Devine picking out Ramharack at short leg early in the next over as part of a flurry of New Zealand wickets.
Dottin took two more wickets in an over, removing Maddy Green (three) through Campbelle’s routine catch and trapping Rosemary Mair (2) lbw, with Isabella Gaze’s late burst (20 from 14 deliveries) the only positive in the closing overs of New Zealand’s innings.
Carson played a key role in halting the West Indies chase, responding to being hit by two quick boundaries by Qiana Joseph (12) by bowling her in the same over for her first of three wickets.
Campbell toe-ended Carson to leave a diving catch for Bates and Stafanie Taylor (13) missed a flighted ball from the same bowler, with Tahuhu getting Matthews caught by Kerr in the deep to leave them 52-4 with just nine overs remaining.
Green produced a brilliant catch at long off to end Alleyne’s innings and give Kerr her first of two wickets, while Dottin was dropped twice early in her innings and survived an edge that was not reviewed.
Dottin responded by firing Tahuhu for three sixes in a 23-run over for the West Indies, cutting their target to 34 from four overs, only for to top-edge Kerr to Jonas at short fine leg and reduce them to 96-6.
The West Indies took the contest to the final over despite concussion sub Chedean Nation falling without scoring, with Zaida James crunching Bates for four before being bowled two balls later and seeing New Zealand reach the final for the first time since 2010.
Devine: We are going to win this now!
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine:
“Reaching the final hasn’t sunk in at all yet. I am still trying to get my brain back from being a bit fried out there. It is a real privilege to be able to play in a World Cup final.
“I think the last few overs with the bat saved our bacon as we were a bit under par. But we knew it would be a competitive score. We knew we were in with a great shout as it can be tough to get away and score boundaries on this pitch.
“Taking wickets regularly helps but when you have players like (Hayley) Matthews and (Deandra) Dottin in the opposition, the game is never really over. West Indies have been outstanding in this tournament, so we have huge respect for them.
“What makes me most proud as a leader is the character we have had, not just in this tournament but over the last 12-18 months. Results haven’t gone our way but the belief and knowing what we are capable of doing has always been there.
“I am now really excited about the last match. We have nothing to lose and that is a great place to be. We are going to win this thing now.”
What’s next?
Who will win the Women’s T20 World Cup? New Zealand face South Africa in the final this Sunday in Dubai, meaning there will be a first-time champion. Build-up starts at 2.30pm on Sky Sports Cricket ahead of the game beginning at 3pm.
