PAARL: South Africa women’s team rekindled their home T20 World Cup campaign with a dominant 65-run victory over New Zealand in a Group A fixture on Monday, thanks to an exceptional bowling effort.

Spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba led the charge with three wickets as South Africa bundled out New Zealand for a paltry 67 in the second innings. 

Electing to bat first, the home side scored 132/6 in the 20 overs after Chloe Tryon salvaged with a 34-ball 40 in the middle before Nadine de Klerk made an unbeaten 28 from 26 balls.

South African bowlers, however, dominated the game afterwards and wreaked havoc on New Zealand’s batting line, offering them no width to sneak back into the game.

Mlaba unsettled the White Ferns right from the start, taking a wicket in each of her first two overs as New Zealand slumped to 7/2 inside three overs with both openers Bernadine Bezuidenhout and Suzie Bates back in the hut on a duck. 

Marizanne Kapp then dismissed Georgia Plimmer (7 from 12) in the 4th over before Ayabonga Khaka took the crucial wicket of Amelia Kerr (10 off 12) in the next.

New Zealand never looked in control of the chase as eight of their batters did not even cross the single digit.

Skipper Sophie Divine’s unsettling stay offered no significant help too as she gathered a mere 16 from 26 balls while the rest of the batters failed miserably.

Earlier South Africa were defeated by Sri Lanka in the opening match of the tournament.

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