Ladies’s T20 World Cup: New Zealand beat West Indies by eight runs to arrange closing towards South Africa | Cricket Information

New Zealand booked their place within the T20 World Cup closing after surviving a late cost from West Indies to carry for a dramatic eight-run victory in Sharjah.

Georgia Plimmer (33) and Suzie Bates (26) placed on a 48-run opening stand for New Zealand, earlier than Deandra Dottin (4-22) and Afy Fletcher (2-23) led the West Indies fightback and restricted them to 128-9.

Eden Carson took three fast wickets in reply to go away the West Indies reeling at 41-3, beginning with the important thing scalp of Qiana Joseph (12), with Hayley Matthews (15) additionally falling to Lea Tahuhu as New Zealand grabbed management of the competition.

Dottin survived being dropped on a number of events to fireplace three sixes in an over and maintain the West Indies alive, though Amelia Kerr (2-14) dismissed her for 33 to scale back hopes of them reaching their first Ladies’s T20 World Cup closing for the reason that 2016 success.

The West Indies required 15 from the ultimate over however solely managed six to go away them quick on 120-8, as New Zealand arrange a showdown with South Africa – who defeated Australia within the different semi-final – in Sunday’s closing in Dubai.

How New Zealand edged semi-final thriller

A stable – but unspectacular – opening New Zealand partnership ended when Bates did not make contact on an tried scoop, seeing her bowled by Ramharack, with New Zealand solely reaching 54-1 on the midway stage because the West Indies assault impressed.

Amelia Kerr (seven) was dropped when the ball went by way of Chinelle Henry’s fingers and hit the fielder flush on the pinnacle, seeing her go away the ball for therapy, though fell with the subsequent supply as she chipped Dottin to Ramharack to mid-off.

Shemaine Cambelle stumped Plimmer after she went dancing down the wicket to Fletcher, earlier than Brooke Halliday and Sophie Devine rapidly accelerated so as to add 24 from the subsequent two overs and push New Zealand in direction of a aggressive whole.

Halliday was bowled by Dottin, instantly after receiving physio after falling to the bottom chasing a second, with Devine choosing out Ramharack at quick leg early within the subsequent over as a part of a flurry of New Zealand wickets.

Dottin took two extra wickets in an over, eradicating Maddy Inexperienced (three) by way of Campbelle’s routine catch and trapping Rosemary Mair (2) lbw, with Isabella Gaze’s late burst (20 from 14 deliveries) the one optimistic within the closing overs of New Zealand’s innings.

Carson performed a key position in halting the West Indies chase, responding to being hit by two fast boundaries by Qiana Joseph (12) by bowling her in the identical over for her first of three wickets.

Campbell toe-ended Carson to go away a diving catch for Bates and Stafanie Taylor (13) missed a flighted ball from the identical bowler, with Tahuhu getting Matthews caught by Kerr within the deep to go away them 52-4 with simply 9 overs remaining.

Inexperienced produced an excellent catch at lengthy off to finish Alleyne’s innings and provides Kerr her first of two wickets, whereas Dottin was dropped twice early in her innings and survived an edge that was not reviewed.

Dottin responded by firing Tahuhu for 3 sixes in a 23-run over for the West Indies, reducing their goal to 34 from 4 overs, just for to top-edge Kerr to Jonas at quick effective leg and scale back them to 96-6.

The West Indies took the competition to the ultimate over regardless of concussion sub Chedean Nation falling with out scoring, with Zaida James crunching Bates for 4 earlier than being bowled two balls later and seeing New Zealand attain the ultimate for the primary time since 2010.

Devine: We’re going to win this now!

New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine:

“Reaching the ultimate hasn’t sunk in in any respect but. I’m nonetheless making an attempt to get my mind again from being a bit fried on the market. It’s a actual privilege to have the ability to play in a World Cup closing.

“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 recurrently helps however when you have got gamers like [Hayley] Matthews and [Deandra] Dottin within the opposition, the sport isn’t actually over. West Indies have been excellent on this match, so we have now big 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’m now actually excited in regards to the final match. We have now nothing to lose and that may be a excellent spot to be. We’re going to win this factor now.”

What’s subsequent?

Who will win the Ladies’s T20 World Cup? New Zealand face South Africa within the closing this Sunday in Dubai, that means there will likely be a first-time champion. Construct-up begins at 2.30pm on Sky Sports activities Cricket forward of the sport starting at 3pm.