Exuberant youth and steely experience see New Zealand into the final
Media release
Energetic youth and determined experience have guided New Zealand into their first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final since 2010.
Eden Carson was only eight then, but she took three for 29 against the West Indies to help her side to an eight-run win.
Georgia Plimmer is another youngster making waves for New Zealand – the 20-year-old top-scored with 33, opening the batting alongside the veteran Suzie Bates.
Bates, as well as captain Sophie Devine, are the only remaining players from that 2010 squad.
That fact made Devine’s decision to pass the ball to Bates for the final over of their defence of 127 all the more special, particularly as the opener is likely to become the most capped women’s player of all time on Sunday.
“To have someone of Suzie’s experience, she has been harping on us at training saying, this is what she has practiced for,” Devine joked.
“When you have got that experience of 170 T20 matches, to be able to call on her and have that clarity especially with only three fielders out, it is pretty clutch.
“Especially for me to be able to throw her the ball and to finish that innings up, it was cool for Suz to be the one to do it.”
Deandra Dottin was back to her best after two years away from the international stage, taking four for 22 to stifle New Zealand until Izzy Gaze powered them to a competitive total late on.
She then led a late charge with the bat, hitting three sixes in quick succession to send the nerves through New Zealand.
However, the Windies had left themselves just too much to do when Bates took the ball, returning figures of one for six to see her side into the final against South Africa.
West Indies captain Hayley Matthews said: “We bowled really well up front and we did have them within a really good run rate, they maybe got away from us at the end.
“At the beginning of the day we would have taken 127 no doubt and with the bat we probably just weren’t able to get going early on and that put us under pressure.
“It is disappointing for the entire group to go out at this stage and in the way we did but I am incredibly proud of everyone in the team.
“We saw players who haven’t been on the circuit very much show up in this World Cup and as a group we have come together and really exceeded expectations.”
The West Indies’ response to 127 got off to a slow start and it was made all the harder as Carson continued her fine form.
The 19-year-old off-spinner got the wickets of Qiana Joseph, Shemaine Campbelle and Stafanie Taylor to reduce Windies to 31 for four.
Carson had already won player of the match as New Zealand made it through to their first semi-final in eight years and claimed the gong again in Sharjah.
Her post-match interview against Pakistan drew plenty of fans and her excited giggles have grown only louder as she spun her side to the final.
“I’m a bit emotional,” she said. “But really proud of the girls.
“Honestly, when Deandra Dottin was absolutely pummelling us, I was like ‘oh no’ but the girls stuck around each other and supported each other. And we knew we could get it done, we got over the line in the end.
“We saw how West Indies bowled, they bowled a bit more back of a length and that was working. Personally I thought I was a little bit full but that’s all right.”
While Carson may pick apart her bowling performance ahead of Sunday’s final, where a new champion will be crowned, she had only one word, and a lot of laughs, to describe what it meant to reach her first World Cup final.
“Nice.”
ENDS