Kerr named Player of the Tournament after heroic final display
Media release
Amelia Kerr's heroic final display saw her grab the Aramco Player of the Tournament honour as New Zealand secured their maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup crown.
Kerr led the way as the White Ferns carved a path to glory in the United Arab Emirates, taking 15 wickets – the most in a single Women’s T20 World Cup – as well finishing ninth for most runs made with 135.
The leg-spinner saved her best batting performance for the final, top-scoring with 43 as the White Ferns posted an imposing 158 for five in Dubai, helping her side to the second-highest score in an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final.
The 24-year-old then thwarted runners-up South Africa with the ball, finishing with figures of three for 24 including the key wickets of powerful Proteas hitters Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch as New Zealand won by 32 runs.
Speaking after her match-winning performance in the final, Kerr said: “I'm a little bit speechless and I'm just so stoked to get the win, considering what this team's been through, it's what dreams are made of.
“I guess bowling's what first got me in the White Ferns and that's something that I've always wanted to keep getting better at and be able to pick up wickets and have the confidence to step up in big moments.
“But I think I've said it all along throughout the last year, it's the spin group we have. I've never enjoyed bowling so much. They make it so much fun and I'm just enjoying myself while I'm out there.”
Kerr featured in the wickets column in each of New Zealand’s six matches. Her best figures of four for 26 came in a losing cause against Australia, where she again top-scored with 29.
That was the only time in the tournament where she conceded more than a run a ball, underlining her status as one of the world’s most economical and destructive bowlers.
Her variety has also been key to her success and nowhere was that more evident than in the final where she navigated cramp to bowl her side to an historic success.
She said: “I wasn't cramping up while batting (against South Africa), but afterwards in the field, when I fielded one, I got cramp and found myself hiding in the ring at short third, but just grateful that we got the job done.
“The first ball I bowled, I cramped up and I thought, I'm not going to bowl as fast today. I think the plans I've had for this tournament and my wrong'un coming into play, especially here (in Dubai), has helped me have a lot of success.
“Wickets come and go, and thankfully they've come my way this tournament. I absolutely love playing for the White Ferns, they mean so much to me.”
ENDS