Cricket
White Ferns thrash Proteas for 4-1 series victory─── MORGAN PIEK 11:33 Wed, 25 Mar 2026
The White Ferns wrapped up a commanding 4–1 T20 International series triumph on Wednesday, crushing the Proteas Women by a massive 92 runs in Christchurch.
With the series already lost on Sunday, the Proteas were battling for pride and to rebuild momentum ahead of the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup in England and Wales. Batting first at the Hagley Oval, the Kiwis posted a formidable 194/6 from their 20 overs.
Captain Amelia Kerr led the charge, smashing 105 off just 55 balls, including 19 fours and six sixes. Georgia Plimmer contributed a tidy 27 from 26 deliveries, while Brooke Halliday added 26 off 25.
For the Proteas, Ayabonga Khaka was the standout bowler, claiming 3/32 from her four overs, with Tumi Sekhukhune matching figures of 3/32 in three.
In reply, the Proteas struggled to build any meaningful partnerships, losing wickets at regular intervals, and were never able to get close to the target. All-rounder Annerie Dercksen once again top-scored with 23 off 18 balls.
Suné Luus chipped in with 13 off 11 at the top of the order, while Khaka added an unbeaten 12. Ultimately, South Africa were restricted to 102/9 in their 20 overs.
The White Ferns are celebrating their 4-0 T20 International series win against South Africa. Photo: Cricinfo
Seamer Lea Tahuhu, playing in her final T20 International, was the pick of the Kiwi bowlers with 3/15 from her four overs, while Kerr and Sophie Devine each claimed two wickets.
Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted the team had been outclassed throughout the series. “They’re really good. Outplayed us in pretty much all facets of the game today,” Wolvaardt said.
“Amelia batted brilliantly. We didn’t execute very well with the ball, and she punished us when we missed. We just lost our way with the bat. It was a high-pressure chase; it would have been a record here and a huge chase anywhere in the world.”
She added that the team will take positives from the five-match series to build for the future.
“There’s a lot to learn for us. We came with plans on what we wanted to execute, but we just missed a bit,” she added.
Seamer Tumi Sekhukhune took two wickets in her first over. She finished with figures on 3/32. Photo: Cricinfo
“We can learn from our mistakes, and there’s enough time to reset and come back for the ODIs. It’s a different format, so we’ll take the learnings and hopefully be better for it.”
The focus now shifts to One-Day International cricket, with the first game scheduled for Sunday in Christchurch, with the first ball set to be bowled at 3:00.
