cricket news update New Zealand Women won by 8 runs

cricket news update New Zealand Women won by 8 runs

New Zealand 128 for 9 (Plimmer 33, Dottin 4-22, Fletcher 2-23) beat West Indies 120 for 8 (Dottin 33, Carson 3-29, Kerr 2-14) by eight runs

Match details view now click here

New Zealand overcome Dottin's all-round brilliance to make first T20 World Cup final since 2010 Dottin picked up four wickets and then blitzed 33 off 22 but New Zealand's spinners undo West Indies New Zealand stormed into the final of the Women's T20 World Cup after 14 years, beating the 2016 champions West Indies by eight runs in a low-scoring thriller in Sharjah. New Zealand will meet the 2023 version's runners-up South Africa as the tournament is set for a first-time champion.

Opting to bat first and "put squeeze on West Indies", Sophie Devine's side heaved and puffed their way to 128 for 9 on a pitch that was quite easy to bat. Deandra Dottin gave West Indies hope, with the ball first, rattling New Zealand with her 4 for 22.

In any case, West Indies' chase never took off as expected with Eden Carson and Co keeping them quiet at 25 for 2 in the powerplay. Hayley Matthews and Stafanie Taylor worked for runs and when they succumbed to a combined 28 off 41, West Indies were four down for 51 with 78 runs required from 55 balls. Dottin's fireworks - a 22-ball 33 where she also hit Lea Tahuhu for three sixes in an over - brought the equation down to 34 off 24. However, Amelia Kerr, the highest wicket-taker at this World Cup, finished the allrounder's innings in the seventeenth over as Dottin top edged a sweep to short fine leg.

New Zealand were not flawless, having dropped five catches in the field yet the bowlers still figured out how to restrict West Indies to 120 for 8.

Carson makes early inroads

Carson has been New Zealand's go-to powerplay bowler, having taken four of her five wickets before the semi-final in this phase. Yet again on Friday, she set the tone with the ball. After conceding two fours to Qiana Joseph, the offspinner bowled a length ball on center that spun past the batter's swipe to thump her stumps. Soon 16 for no loss became 20 for 2 when Carson darted one full and wide of off for Shemaine Campbelle to step out and miscue one towards extra cover, where Suzie Bates ran in and pulled off a diving catch. The wickets had slowed West Indies down with Matthews and Taylor moving at a snail's pace. Carson came back again for the eighth over when the two Matthews and Taylor smashed a four each to get pace yet the offspinner had the last laugh, bowling Taylor for a 20-ball 13 after she mistimed a slog sweep. Eventually, she finished with 3 for 22.