Dubai [UAE], October 20 : Kiwi bowling allrounder Amelie Kerr was the hero for New Zealand, top-scoring with 43 before bagging 3/23 as the White Ferns beat South Africa by 32 runs to triumph Women's T20 World Cup for the first time in their history.
After being asked to bat first, New Zealand got off to an average start as veteran opener Suzie Bates scored 32 runs during his time on the crease. Bates also became the most capped player in the history of Women's Internationals with her appearance in the game.
And, despite wickets falling, the Kiwis built well through the middle overs, as Kerr (43) played an anchoring role alongside the explosive Brooke Halliday (38). A late cameo from Maddy Green lifted the total to 158/5 in the first inning, leaving South Africa with a stern test.
A quick start from South Africa's openers gave the Proteas hope that it would be they who would win their first title, but the New Zealand bowling dominated to take the game away from the opponents' hands.
A dramatic double-wicket over from Kerr saw Laura Wolvaardt (33) and Anneke Bosch (9) depart in quick succession, leaving South Africa needing something special from their middle order. But wickets kept on tumbling, with Rosemary Mair in the thick of the action with her 3/25, as the run rate went from high to unattainable.
The result had long been determined before Eden Carson sent down the final ball of the tournament, as South Africa finished on 126/9, still 32 runs short.
South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and decided to bowl first against New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Both teams were unchanged, while the Kiwi skipper Sophie Devine said she was happy with the toss outcome and would have batted first in any case. And her top order showed why, getting the Kiwis off to a decent start in the powerplay.
Georgia Plimmer's attacking start came to an abrupt end when Sune Luus held on to a catch off Ayabonga Khaka's bowling to send the young opener back for 9 from 7 balls.
But Suzie Bates and Melie Kerr fired the total to 43/1 after six overs. Bates' brilliant knock of 32 from 31 balls was ended by South Africa's go-to wicket-taker, with Nonkululeko Mlaba at it again, cleaning up the veteran.
And Sophie Devine was trapped lbw by Nadine de Klerk - a decision that the Proteas opted to review, to great success.
But with Kerr and the in-form Brooke Halliday out in the middle with the score at 79/3 with eight overs remaining, a competitive score remains very much in reach.
Excellent running and rotation of the strike was the key to the pair's 57-run partnership, with Halliday hitting just three fours in her 38 from just 28 balls, scoring at a rate that boosted her team towards a strong total.
Halliday's wicket, falling to the tidy Chloe Tryon (1/22), saw Kerr hit the attacking switch, hitting back-to-back fours off Mlaba.
But Mlaba denied Kerr (43 from 38) a half-century and a chance to hit out in the final over, tempting her into an over-reached swipe, with Tazmin Brits taking the catch.
New Zealand reached 158/5 with a 16-run final over, as Isabella Gaze (3* from 3) and Maddy Green (12* from 6) ran hard, with the solitary boundary of Khaka's final over being a huge six over deep midwicket.
In all, the White Ferns added 48 runs in the final five overs of their innings, leaving South Africa requiring their second-highest total of the tournament to win the final.
Brief score: New Zealand 158/5 (Amelia Kerr 43, Brooke Halliday 38, Suzie Bates 32; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/31) beat South Africa 126/9 (Laura Wolvaardt 33, Tazmin Brits 17, Chloe Tryon 14; Amelia Kerr 3/24).