South Africa opt to bowl, both teams unchanged

TossSouth Africa opt to bowl vs New Zealand

Laura Wolvaardt called correctly as South Africa elected to bowl first against New Zealand in their second straight T20 World Cup final, at the Dubai International Stadium.

South Africa have been unchanged all tournament. In fact, ten of the XI members on Sunday also featured in last year’s final against Australia in Cape Town. New Zealand too went in with the same XI that beat West Indies two nights ago in Sharjah.

Wolvaardt wanted to do what has worked for them so far – they’ve won all four games chasing. Devine said New Zealand would’ve batted first anyway. So, both captains have got what they wanted.

This is New Zealand’s first final since 2010, where Australia beat them by three runs at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown. South Africa, meanwhile, are looking to go one better than last year, where they were beaten by Australia.

Suzie Bates, who played that 2010 final along with Devine, becomes the most-capped women’s international, going past Mithali Raj’s record of 333 appearances.

New Zealand: 1 Georgia Plimmer, 2 Suzie Bates, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Rosemary Mair, 9 Lea Tahuhu, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Fran Jonas

South Africa: 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Anneke Bosch, 4 Chloe Tryon, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sune Luus, 6 Annerie Dercksen, 8 Nadine de Klerk, 9 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 10 Nonkululeko Mlaba, 11 Ayabonga Khaka

Shashank Kishore is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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