Table of Contents
In the thrilling encounter between New Zealand Women and England Women at Saxton Oval, the hosts emerged victorious by a narrow margin of 3 runs, keeping themselves alive in the 5-match series after losing both the first two games. It was an electrifying match that showcased top-notch cricketing skills from both sides.
Sophie Devine takes New Zealand to a decent total
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, New Zealand Women posted a competitive total of 155/3 in their allotted 20 overs. Sophie Devine‘s blistering knock of 60 runs off 37 deliveries, supported by Bernadine Bezuidenhout‘s 34 and Amelia Kerr‘s 44, propelled the home team to a challenging total.
Devine continues her splendid show with the ball
In response, England Women fought valiantly but fell short of the target, managing 152/8 in their 20 overs. Maia Bouchier‘s impressive innings of 71 runs off 47 balls kept England’s hopes alive, but the New Zealand bowlers held their nerve to secure the win. Devine, not only excelling with the bat but also with the ball, claimed 2 crucial wickets for the hosts.
Both teams exhibited commendable performances throughout the match, with moments of brilliance shining through in batting, bowling, and fielding departments. Devine’s exceptional all-round display earned her the well-deserved Player of the Match award. Her impactful contributions with both bat and ball played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s triumph.
Also READ: Sri Lanka unveil strong 17-member squad for the white-ball tour of South Africa
Here is how Twitter reacted:
With 60 off 37 with the bat and 2-23 with the ball, the ANZ Player of the Match, in her 50th T20I as captain – Sophie Devine 👏 #NZvENG #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/sOmoihs7iy
— WHITE FERNS (@WHITE_FERNS) March 24, 2024
Brilliant innings from Sophie Devine. England under a bit of pressure here to chase this down. #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/lFOqYnhIxK
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) March 24, 2024
New Zealand beat England in a thriller 👏#NZvENG #T20I
Scorecard: https://t.co/UA21dKTlk4 #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/BHh3yNIZNI— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) March 24, 2024
Most instances of a player both scoring a half-century and taking 2+ wickets in the same match in women's T20Is:
6 Sophie Devine (NZ)
4 Stafanie Taylor (WI)
3 Dane van Niekerk (SA)#NZvENG— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) March 24, 2024
Most Times Scored 50+ Runs & Took 2+ Wickets in WT20I Match
𝟲* – Sophie Devine🇳🇿
4 – Stafanie Taylor🏝
3 – Dane van Niekerk🇿🇦
2 – Ellyse Perry🇦🇺
2 – Tahila McGrath🇦🇺
2 – Nat Sciver Brunt🏴
2 – Hayley Matthews🏝
2 – Shelley Nitschke🇦🇺
2 – Nida Dar🇵🇰
2 – Suzie Bates🇳🇿#NZvENG— Kishan Kishor (@itskishankishor) March 24, 2024
Damn that over from Suzie Bates. She’s truly a legend, typical class performance from Sophie Devine as well. All time greats.
— Lily Franklin (@lilyffranklin13) March 24, 2024
Women's international debut as concussion substitute:
Tatiana Cerdas🇨🇷 (Costa Rica) v Belize, 2019
Lindokuhle Mabhero🇿🇼 (Zimbabwe) v Kenya, 2023
Hollie Armitage🏴 (England) v New Zealand, today#NZvENG— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) March 24, 2024
Hollie Armitage today became the 1st England cricketer to make her international debut after coming on as a concussion sub#NZvENG
— Mohit Shah (@mohit_shah17) March 24, 2024
An incredibly tight game but we come out on the losing side in the 3rd T20 💔
White Ferns win by 3 runs, we bounce back in Wellington! #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/0k62zEi7JD
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) March 24, 2024
So England women were needing 14 off 16 with 6 wickets in hand & lost by 3 without getting bowled out . Special effort that #NZvENG pic.twitter.com/JCoFfs6Osy
— Cricket Tamizhan (@CricketTamizhan) March 24, 2024