Dubai [UAE], October 21 : Star New Zealand all-rounder Amelie Kerr had a tournament to remember as she was crowned the 'Player of the Tournament' in Blacksap's maiden ICC Women's T20 World Cup win beating South Africa in the final, where she shined with both bat and ball.
Kerr was brilliant in all aspects of the game throughout the tournament, turning in another match-winning display against the Proteas in Sunday's T20 World Cup final in Dubai.
The 24-year-old finished the tournament as its leading wicket-taker, bagging 15 wickets in six matches with her leg spin, the most by a bowler in a single edition of the tournament, while also scoring 135 runs.
"I am a little bit speechless and I am just so stoked to get the win," Kerr said as quoted by ICC.
"It is what dreams are made of. You want to be a big-match player and I guess bowling through those middle overs, it is when the best batters are constructing their innings and if you can make a breakthrough it can push teams back and that is my job. Wickets come and go and thankfully they have come my way this tournament," she concluded.
Kerr was her team's third-highest scorer in the tournament, after openers Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer. And she saved her best until last with the bat, playing a crucial anchoring role for her team in the final, top-scoring with 43 from 38 deliveries consisting of four boundaries, to ensure the White Ferns racked up a highly competitive total.
Coming in at the end of the second over, Kerr led the recovery, built a platform, and then accelerated late on before falling in the penultimate over as New Zealand reached 158/5.
With the ball, it was not just the number of Kerr's wickets, but the significance of the players she dismissed that made Kerr so impactful. When New Zealand needed a breakthrough in the final, the Player of the Tournament brought her golden touch once again, picking up South Africa's influential captain Laura Wolvaardt and semi-final hero Anneke Bosch in one match-defining over.
Kerr finished as the tournament's top wicket-taker, three ahead of second-placed Nonkululeko Mlaba of South Africa.
Rosemary Mair (10) and Eden Carson (9) where the other leading wicket-takers for the White Ferns, as they won the Women's T20 World Cup for the first time.
Coming to the match, SA won the toss and elected to field first. Bates played a crucial knock of 32 in 31 balls, with three fours at the top. After being reduced to 70/3, it was a 57-run stand between Amelia Kerr (43 in 38 balls, with four boundaries) and Brooke Halliday (38 in 28 balls, with three fours) that played a crucial role in NZ reaching 158/5 in their 20 overs.
Nonkululeko Mlaba (2/31) was the pick of the bowlers for White Ferns.
In the run-chase of 159 runs, despite a brisk start by skipper Laura Wolvaardt (33 in 27 balls, with five fours), SA and a 51-run stand with Tazmin Brits (17 in 18 balls, with one four), SA lost wickets quickly and never ever found their rhythm following dismissal of their openers. They were restricted to 126/9 in their 20 overs, with Kerr (3/24) and Rosemary Mair (3/25) shining the most with the ball for NZ.
Kerr was given the 'Player of the Match' award for her all-round show.