Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Final, NZ-W vs SA-W Match Preview: Head to Head records, pitch report and more

After eighteen days of riveting cricketing action, the stage is more than set to host the grand finale of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. On Sunday, October 20, New Zealand Women (NZ-W) and South Africa Women (SA-W) will clash in the battle royale for lifting the silverware. On top of that, whoever wins will get their hands on the trophy for the first time in the tournament's history, and thus, the win is going to be a really, really memorable one for the triumphant.

Sophie Devine-led New Zealand are riding extremely high on confidence, but so is Laura Wolvaardt & Co. Picking a winner before the match starts is probably going to be the toughest guess, but as they say, whoever plays better cricket on the night it matters the most will taste the sweetness of victory. In the last five respective matches played, both the teams have won four games each, and both the teams are in a certain zone to aim the trophy.

Match Details

Pitch report

The Dubai International Cricket Stadium has a very uncanny nature, but the surface tends to get easier to score runs on, once the night progresses. Most of the game at the venue in this tournament have seen the team batting second win the match. Since chasing hasn't seemed to be much of a problem, the captain winning the toss must be inclined to bowl first, and invite the opposition to set a target.

Head-To-Head Records

New Zealand and South Africa will be playing in a WT20I after more than a year, having last faced off in a match on October 15, 2023. As a result, the stakes of the fixture are going to be extremely high, especially after the silverware is on the offer. The Head-to-Head records are in favours of NZ-W, as they have won 11 out of the 16 matches played, while SA-W have won four, and one contest ending without a result.

Also Check: Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Points Table

Probable Playing XIs

New Zealand Women

Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates are going to play their last World Cup in the 20-over format, and would be hoping to give it their all to add the last feather in their caps. The White Ferns also have the likes of Lea Tahuhu, Amelia Kerr, and Georgia Plimmer who have performed consistently well throughout the tournament.

Predicted XI: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze (wk), Rosemary Mair, Lea Tahuhu, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas

South Africa Women

Some legendary names combined with a few young stars is what the Proteas Women looks like. The likes of Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, and Sune Luus would make any opposition dread more than a bit. Moreover, Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk, and Nonkululeko Mlaba will also be excited to put up a show on the Sunday night to see the rainbow nation reign supreme.

Predicted XI: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Annerie Derckson, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka