Even the cricket gods are swooning over Sophie Devine because she just keeps getting better. She might have been out on zero. She hit a six to conclude that over. On 25, she might have been out. The next ball she hit was a six. This game’s strength at the crease just could not be taken away by the ruling class.

Even Sophie Devine had to pause to admire her skill as she cleared the outfield in the 17th over and the final of her ten boundaries landed directly in the bleachers. One of the greatest players in history scored her tenth fifty or more in 19 innings against South Africa during her 150th Twenty20 International. Her 64 off 34 balls put the White Ferns’ pursuit of 160 in complete jeopardy and ended the series.

With nine balls remaining, New Zealand achieved their second-highest chase in women’s T20I history. Their success was based on their ability to take advantage of the circumstances, which did improve for scoring runs in the second inning, but there was always a chance that the ball would not reach the bat.

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In fact, Georgia Plimmer and Amelia Kerr prepared themselves for that. They recalled to maintain their form for an additional millisecond. Even if the ball was short, they were content to rush at the bowlers at their own speed. During a partnership of 48 off 34, they achieved sequences of four consecutive boundaries followed by three consecutive boundaries. Plimmer’s drives were exceptional as well; they were perfectly timed and never overhit.

But when Sophie Devine was brought to the crease by her wicket, she displayed her intelligence in a different way.

New Zealand needed 53 from 36 balls at the start of the chase’s fifteenth over. Devine wanted to reach those balls because she had the strength to clobber them all the way if she could, which is exactly what happened when she flicked Masabata Klaas over deep square leg. Sophie Devine stood guard well outside off stump because she had detected the bowling plan, which was to go wide. That ball would have normally been in line with off stump, but Sophie Devine had altered the course of events. New Zealand’s needed rate dropped from 8.83 to 7 by the completion of the six balls.

When Tazmin Brits was mic’d up and asked if their preparations against Sophie Devine were working, she began with a nervous giggle, illustrating the powerlessness that South Africa felt trying to stop Devine. She was aware that they weren’t.

South Africa were 60 for 3 after ten overs after opting to bat. Just 19 runs and as many boundaries as wickets (2) had been scored in the preceding four. Given what had happened before her, Annerie Dercksen had no right to play the way she did. Her undefeated 55 off 32 balls put a game that was well in New Zealand’s control back in jeopardy.

While in the middle, Dercksen hit nine of the thirteen boundaries that came her way, including an incredible straight six off Amelia Kerr, outscoring the opposition (strike rate of 172 vs. 111). She also took advantage of New Zealand’s attempt to tuck them up on the stumps by tapping the off side boundary rather than only attempting to draw balls to midwicket. She stands out as a long-term No. 4 due to her variety of strokes, her ability to execute them under pressure even on a slow pitch, and her acceleration towards the end. South Africa won’t have to worry about life after Marizanne Kapp because she also bowls reliable seam-ups.

Dercksen hit her first ball for four with a cut stroke that demonstrated how fast her feet move and how effectively she chooses length. She was there at the end, scooping and reverse sweeping nice balls for fours, and she had South Africa score 10 and 12 runs right after overs that yielded just two, six, seven, and four. The visitors finished on a comfortable 159 for 6 after scoring 51 runs in the final four overs.

“Double, double, toil and trouble.” In Wellington, a sign read, “Watch out for the Kerr sisters.” A line drawing of Jess and Amelia had also been added by the young child holding it up. The real-life versions met up to the high expectations, and it was excellent.

Jess enjoyed her best T20I performance while playing at home, taking the most wickets in 2024—her busiest year in the format with ten games. She moved up to joint third place on the list of women’s T20I wicket-takers in 2026 after bowling 14 dot balls in her four-over session and taking 3 for 16.

South Africa elevated big-hitter Chloe Tryon to open and give them a quicker start, but Jess was in charge of limiting his damage. They had to try something as unconventional as pushing their finisher up top because Jess later returned to dismiss Laura Wolvaardt as well. So far in the series, the South Africa captain has amassed 88 runs on 95 balls; on Sunday, she was dismissed for 10 off 17.

In order to make it more difficult for the ball to glide onto the bat, Amelia slowed her pace to as low as 64 kph using her understanding of the terrain on which she plays domestic cricket. On 30 off 29, one of these deliveries stumped Sune Luus at 75 kph, which was a full 5 kph slower than her average speed in the previous game.

Lea Tahuhu became the fifth White Fern to reach 100 Twenty20 Internationals, and the New Zealand camp celebrated. Amy Satterthwaite, her wife and a member of that extremely restricted society, was present. Grace and Louie, who looked adorable in his mother’s commemorative headgear, were also her children.