New Zealand women (Photo Source: Francois Nel/Getty Images)
New Zealand’s women’s team won their maiden T20 World Cup title and clinched a historic prize sum. After Sophie Devine-led team’s 32-run victory against South Africa in the summit clash, the side received a hefty prize money of USD 2.3 million (approximately NZD 256,000 per team member), making it the largest payday in the team’s history.
Just two years ago, the team celebrated achieving equal match fees with their male counterparts, NZD 4,000 for ODIs and NZD 2,500 for T20Is. Now, the World Cup victory has opened several financial streams for the White Ferns.
‘Pretty unbelievable to be honest’ – Rosemary Mair on World Cup triumph
Having faced a challenging period with 10 consecutive T20 losses before the tournament, New Zealand’s comeback began with a crucial warm-up win against South Africa. This momentum carried them through victories against India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, with their only setback coming against Australia in the group stage.
The final saw some all-round team performance from the champion side, with Suzie Bates (32), Amelia Kerr (43), and Brooke Halliday (38) contributing to a total of 158/5. The bowling unit, led by Kerr (3/24) and Rosemary Mair (3/25), then restricted South Africa to 126/9.
“Pretty unbelievable to be honest. Coming into the tournament, all the odds were against us, so for the group to bounce back like they have is unbelievable,” Mair said as quoted by Telegraph.
Meanwhile, New Zealand sports minister Chris Bishop praised the side for their impressive showing in the competition and clinching the title for the first time in history.
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