New Zealand and South Africa face off in Women's T20 World Cup final in Dubai

Whatever the result in Dubai on Sunday, there will be a new name on the trophy when New Zealand line up against South Africa in the final of the Women's T20 World Cup.

Australia's dominance over the years, winning six of the eight previous tournaments has restricted the opportunities for anyone else. Only England, in the inaugural tournament in 2009, and West Indies in 2016 have seen them off.

It promises to be a fitting finale to a competition that has produced some excellent — and some middling — cricket after it was switched at short notice to the United Arab Emirates following political unrest in Bangldesh where it was due to take place.

Apart from bringing new interest to the women's game, Sunday's final will also pit the two sides that have played the canniest and most courageous cricket over the competition.

Unlike others they have also largely held their catches, although the White Ferns did make life more awkward for themselvees in their semi-final win over the West Indies by dropping Deandra Dottin twice. Not many teams get away with that.

After making just 128-9, which even on a slow Sharjah pitch felt 10 to 15 runs short, the Kiwis defended that total superbly against a batting line-up which, as England found to their discomfort in their winner-takes-all group match, that takes no prisoners.

Amelia Kerr, the leading wicket-taker for the tournament with 12, and Eden Carson bowled superbly, leading skipper Sophie Devine to look optimistically towards the final.

"We are really excited about the final. We have nothing to lose and that is a great space to be," said Devine who was in the team that lost to Australia by three runs in the 2010 final, the latter of New Zealand's two previous finals. "We are going to win this thing now."

'Incredible' South Africa

She is more than aware, however, of the dangers presented by a South African side which went close last year, losing to Australia by 19 runs in the final in Cape Town.

"They are an incredible side," said Devine, picking out captain Laura Wolvaardt, the evergreen all-rounder Marizanne Kapp and number three batter Anneke Bosch whose stunning 74 not out led South Africa to their eight-wicket win over the Australians in Thursday's semi-final.

"Laura leads them from the front," she said. "Kapp is one of the best players in the world (and) Bosch in the game against Australia was superb. "But we have to focus on ourselves, and hope the cricketing gods are on our side as well."

The South Africans have also grown in the last 12 months with that trio of players at the forefront of the batting while Nonkululeko Mlaba, equal second highest wicket-taker with 10, has led the bowling attack with strong backing, especially from Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka.

"I'm just incredibly proud of everyone and the team and just the way that we approached this whole World Cup and how we've played throughout," said Bosch after her match-winning knock. "I think we kind of said we haven't played our best game yet and probably still haven't. But hopefully we're leaving it for the finals now."

Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine believes that late cameos from Brooke Halliday (18 from 9) and Isabella Gaze (20 from 14) helped them to beat West Indies in a thrilling semifinal to set up Women's T20 World Cup final with South Africa on Sunday.

The knockout match went down to the wire as West Indies were in the contest till the last over of the clash. Late cameos guided New Zealand to 128/9 after middle order collapse.

"It has not sunk in at all,” Devine said after a thrilling eight-run win. "I’m still trying to get my brain back from being fried out there. Really privileged to be playing in a World Cup final.”

"The thing that makes me proud is the character we have had for the last 12-18 months. Results have not gone our way, we have gotten a fair bit of stick from people on the outside," she added.

Talking about their innings, Devine said 130 was a competitive total but with the Windies in front, it was not an easy task to defend.

"The last two to three overs saved our bacon, with the way Izzie (Isabella Gaze) batted,” Devine said.

"We thought 130 would be a competitive total, we knew we were in with a great shout. With the ball, taking wickets regularly always helps. But when you have players like Hayley and Deandra, the game is never over.

"She (Dottin) is a quality player. You can set the field for her but she can just hit it over the top. We put down a couple of chances, and had we taken them it might have been easier. Credit to West Indies. We always knew it was going to be a tough game and huge respect to them," she added.

With 15 runs required off the final over, Devine turned to her teammate Suzie Bates - another veteran who appeared in both the 2009 and 2010 finals.

And Bates, who hadn’t bowled previously in the tournament, held her nerve after being hammered for four off the first ball of the over, to finish the job for her team.

"She has been harping on at us in training that she has been practicing for this,” Devine said. "With just three fielders out, that is pretty clutch and to finish things off, it was cool for Suzie to do it.”

Devine is excited to take on Proteas in the title clash. "I’m really excited about this last match and we have nothing to lose, and that is a great space to be. We will celebrate this tonight, and we gotta win this now," she said.

"They (South Africa) are an incredible side. Laura (Wolvaardt) leads them from the front, (Marizanne) Kapp is one of the best players in the world. (Anneke) Bosch in the game against Australia… but we have to focus on ourselves, and hope the cricketing gods are on our side as well.

Agencies