Remember that iconic frame from Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s show, Fleabag? The one where she says, “This is a love story.” If there were a documentary being made on New Zealand’s World Cup campaign, it would — and perhaps should — begin with this frame. The White Ferns have not been the easiest team to support over the past couple of years. They are grade-A characters who can sometimes collapse and cede advantage to the opposition. With ten straight defeats leading up to the World Cup (albeit mostly against stronger teams like England and Australia), very few would have bet on this side. To then see this side ascend the podium was a lesson in the sheer power of perseverance. Belief, however, can only take you so far. Look at South Africa. There has been a seismic shift in how the Proteas approach their cricket. In Laura Wolvaardt, they have a captain who is accomplished and data-driven, constantly seeking solutions. Dillon du Preez, Baakier Abrahams, and Paul Adams have nurtured the team into a side that is not scared to fall and pick itself up, working not just on skills and technique, but also on composure and self-compassion. But that’s the nature of the beast. You can desire something with all your heart, but it takes something otherworldly to achieve what the Kiwis did. “It’s 5 am in the morning back in New Zealand,” said skipper Sophie Devine, with the trophy glistening between her and deputy Amelia Kerr. “The impact is going to take some time to sink in. After the 2000 World Cup win, it took years to see the swell in numbers and interest in cricket to grow. Fingers crossed we can do that too back home and inspire the next generation of players.” The tournament, held in the UAE, faced challenges in gaining traction, with the Emirates Cricket Board citing the hurried relocation and the fact that it wasn’t the actual host nation as reasons for the lack of large-scale promotional plans. While radio advertisements and small billboards featuring star players started appearing around the Dubai International Stadium, the real buzz came with the India vs Pakistan clash, which saw around 16,000 people in attendance. The tournament, however, made a compelling case for why boundaries need to be pushed back in the women’s game. The longer distances meant teams had no choice but to adapt and get their basics right. The inability to clear the ropes frequently, particularly with slow outfields like in Sharjah, meant that running between the wickets adeptly became even more crucial. The same applied to the conditions. Low, slow wickets, especially in Sharjah, levelled the contest between bat and ball. Tighter fields, better catching, and bowling at the stumps gave experienced teams multiple opportunities to stay in the game. “The beauty of playing a global game is you’re going to play in conditions that are different in every country you go to,” Devine said of a tournament that, for much of its duration, was largely devoid of sixes. That eventually changed. This World Cup was a tournament where the senior pros stamped their class and led by example. Consider Suzie Bates. She didn’t have the most runs for New Zealand, but her fearless determination to keep pushing helped create a formidable opening duo alongside Georgia Plimmer. She was a gun fielder, stationed inside the circle for the most part, putting her body on the line to help the Kiwis be as economical as possible. She even came on to bowl, defending 15 runs in the final over to help the White Ferns secure a spot in the final, which they went on to win. Alongside Lea Tahuhu and Devine, this trio of ‘Grandmas,’ as they call themselves, played a crucial role in the Kiwis’ journey to the champion’s podium. Stafanie Taylor batting through severe pain in her left knee, Harmanpreet Kaur’s two half-centuries after taking a few knocks to the head during training, Chamari Athapaththu once again shouldering the responsibility for her Sri Lankan side, and Afy Fletcher being a no-fuss lethal weapon for the Windies are all great examples of veteran players leading the way. Meanwhile, young captains like Wolvaardt and Fatima Sana, and emerging talents like Eden Carson (New Zealand), Annabel Sutherland (Australia), Marufa Akter (Bangladesh), and Zaida James (West Indies) showed that while the vacuum left by the outgoing generation may not be entirely filled, the women’s game does have exciting prospects. The tournament also sparked important conversations about the future of women’s cricket. Wider pools, more bilateral games outside the top eight in the rankings, and better opportunities for Associate nations to compete with full members internationally were major topics of discussion in the UAE. Devine, at the very start of the tournament, had bounced off the idea of a tiered system of matches within the championship to provide Associate nations with more match time against higher-ranked opponents. At its latest Board Meeting, the ICC approved the creation of two annual T20 International tournaments between 2025 and 2028 to allow the Associates a structured pathway into an expanded pool for World Cups. New Zealand’s victory is a testament to the power of perseverance, the importance of a strong leadership core, and the exciting future of women’s cricket. It’s a love story, indeed, one that will inspire the next generation of players and fans for years to come.
From Ten Straight Losses to World Champions: New Zealand’s Triumphant T20 World Cup Journey
