NZ-W vs SA-W 2025/26, NZ-W vs SA-W 5th T20I Match Report, March 25, 2026

New Zealand 194 for 6 (A Kerr 105, Khaka 3-32, Sekhukhune 3-32) beat South Africa 102 for 9 (Dercksen 23, Tahuhu 3-15, A Kerr 2-6, Devine 2-8) by 92 runs

Amelia Kerr hit 105 and produced a miserly bowling spell of 3-0-6-2 to end up outscoring South Africa and hand New Zealand a comfortable 92-run victory in Christchurch. It was the New Zealand captain’s highest T20I score with the bat, one that settled them after an early wobble, and sealed the T20I series 4-1 in the hosts’ favour.

Amelia’s 55-ball innings produced 19 fours and a six on a day where batting proved to be difficult. From New Zealand’s side, the second-highest batting contribution was Georgia Plimmer’s 27 while South Africa’s highest individual score was Annerie Dercksen’s 23. Amelia’s innings ensured New Zealand posted an imposing 194 for 6, their fourth-highest team total.

The chase never quite looked on as four of South Africa’s top-six batters departed for single-digit scores. Lea Tahuhu produced the early breakthroughs after which Nensi Patel, Sophie Devine, Flora Devonshire and Amelia strangled the visitors. South Africa went down tamely, scoring only 102 for 9 in their 20 overs. It was their third-worst loss in T20Is (by runs).

Amelia lights up Christchurch

Walking in at the second-over mark, the day could’ve been vastly different for Amelia. Off her first ball, she offered Ayabonga Khaka a difficult catching chance. After surviving the drop, she turned slightly watchful, scoring only six runs in her first ten balls.

But after the powerplay, Amelia freed her arms to take down Nadine de Klerk for boundaries over fine leg and backward point in the seventh over, and regularly found the rope over the next few overs. Her two slog sweeps off Sune Luus in the tenth over lifted New Zealand to 72 for 3 in ten overs.

From a slow start, Kerr powered on to her half-century in 34 deliveries in the 13th over, and went on turbo mode thereafter. She lived dangerously through her edged cuts down to deep third or her scoops past the keeper’s left and enjoyed another reprieve in the 17th over when she was dropped off Tumi Sekhukhune’s bowling even though it was later deemed a no-ball.

Amelia gave New Zealand a strong finish by destroying de Klerk in the 18th over with a six over midwicket and back-to-back fours over mid-off and point. She then powered on to her second T20I century with a hat-trick of fours in the 19th, bowled by Masabata Klaas. Eventually, a miscued shot off Khaka in the 20th over ended her innings. By then, though, New Zealand’s score looked imposing, and they set South Africa 195 to win.

A strangle from NZ’s bowlers

It was a promising start for South Africa, taking nine runs off the first over, but Chloe Tryon chipped Tahuhu to mid-off in the second over. The other opener Sune Luus then holed out to Patel’s offbreak. Tahuhu induced the leading edge from Anneke Bosch’s bat while Laura Wolvaardt got a faint edge to the keeper trying to pull Devine. When de Klerk was out to an Amelia googly, they were tottering at 57 for 5 and the game’s result seemed a foregone conclusion.

Dercksen did hit four fours in her 18-ball 23 but she struggled against Amelia’s variations with the ball and eventually miscued a slog to the deep. Karabo Meso then got a golden duck as Devine induced an inside-edge onto the stumps. Devonshire then dismissed Kayla Reynene with a mis-hit down the ground and when Tahuhu picked off Klaas for the ninth wicket in the 17th over, it appeared South Africa would be rolled over soon.

However, the tenth-wicket partnership of 13 between Khaka and Sekhukhune that lasted 3.2 overs ensured the visitors were not all out, a very small consolation amid a big defeat.

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