How the ‘grandmas of cricket’ inspired New Zealand to T20 World Cup glory

Cricketer Amelia Kerr, whose all-round performance in the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup guided New Zealand to glory, has credited her older teammates Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates for inspiring her to take up the sport as a schoolgirl 14 years ago.

Kerr, who top-scored with 43 as New Zealand posted 158-5 in Sunday’s final in Dubai and then took 3-24 with her leg-spin bowling as South Africa fell short by 32 runs, said she wrote stories about winning the trophy with Devine and Bates after watching them in the final of the 2010 tournament.

But 14 years ago, Kerr watched forlornly on television as New Zealand, with current skipper Devine and opening bat Bates in the side, lost the 2010 final to Australia by just three runs.

It was a moment that triggered a love for the game and a desire to put the record straight, preferably with her two heroes by her side.

“I was inspired to be a White Fern watching that 2010 World Cup which Sophie was at,” an emotional Kerr said in her news conference after the final.

The 24-year-old finished the tournament as the leading wicket-taker with 15 and collected both the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament Awards.

Kerr, widely regarded as New Zealand’s brightest cricketing talent, made her international debut when she was just 16.

“From that moment I was at the nets with my dad pretending I was batting with Sophie and Suzie.

“And I was in the team so young and playing with my role models who have been so good to me, two of New Zealand’s greatest-ever cricketers.

“I just think back to myself as a kid. When I was at primary school in creative writing, I wrote about winning a World Cup with Sophie and Suzie.

“I don’t necessarily believe you deserve things in sport, but if any two people do, it’s Sophie and Suzie.”

The ‘Grandmas’ came, saw, and conquered 🤩🏆#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/TCmqHBcwhF

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 20, 2024

‘Eighteen years of joy and heartbreak’

Devine, 35, and Bates, 37, are two of the elder stateswomen in the side along with 34-year-old Lea Tahuhu.

Each of them made their mark on the final. Bates made 32 and took three catches while fast bowler Tahuhu squeezed the South African middle order.

Devine only made six but her leadership was outstanding, bringing out the best in the younger players of the team, like Kerr.

“We joke about being grandmas and mums and whatnot but you feel a real sense of pride at seeing them stand up and take opportunities. Melie [Kerr] today was unbelievable,” said the skipper.

“For us to be able to win it, it’s just nice to have that. It’s always something that you want to have when you finish your career.”

Devine’s first action after winning was to embrace her fellow “grandma” Bates who has now played 334 white ball internationals since making her debut back in 2006.

“Me and Suze have been through a lot together,” she said.

Devine and Bates have played in all nine T20 World Cups since the first in 2009.

“We’ve been through a lot of hairstyles together, hers a lot worse than mine.

“But to be able to share it, to be fielding close together as well and to share that moment, that embrace, that’s 17, 18 years of joy and heartbreak and happiness shared in that moment. It’s just been awesome to share that with her.”

New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine and teammate Suzie Bates celebrate after winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 [Altaf Qadri/AP]

‘Everyone loves a champion’

The White Ferns will split prize money of $2.3m, about $155,000 per team member, a life-changing windfall for players who for years have struggled to achieve financial parity with their male counterparts.

New Zealand’s first-ever victory in the World Cup of cricket’s shortest format was a huge surprise. The White Ferns had lost 10 consecutive T20 matches before beating South Africa in a warm-up match.

That pre-tournament success proved a turning point for New Zealand who beat India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, losing only to Australia on the way to the semifinals.

“This means everything to us,” Bates said after the match. “When you play team sport, you want to be a world champion.

“We’ve fought our way back to the top. Devie has been so outstanding leading this team… so calm and believing in us. We’ll probably have a cuddle for even longer later because there’s been some dark times that only the people in the [team] understand.”

With the men’s cricket team also completing a spectacular win in Bengaluru earlier in the day, their first Test win in India since 1988, Sunday was arguably New Zealand’s finest-ever day on the cricket field, although Devine hopes there is more to come.

“I’m really hopeful that tonight’s victory can inspire that next generation of not just young girls but young boys as well to pick up a cricket bat, a cricket ball,” she said.

“It still feels pretty surreal at the moment and hopefully the impact of what we’ve been able to achieve is going to be longstanding and longreaching. Everyone loves a winner, don’t they?”

New Zealand’s players celebrate with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy [Fadel Senna/AFP]