DUBAI: This time around last year, when the cricketing world was in the middle of the men's ODI World Cup in India, all cards were falling in place for another rivalry to lock horns in the Rugby World Cup.
While New Zealand All Blacks were crushing every opposition to make it to the final, South African Springboks were sticking to their mantra of winning by one point because that was enough of a margin for them. All cards fell in place and Stade de France, the national stadium of the host country witnessed one of the best finals of all time.
At Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, the women's cricket sides of these two nations will face each other for the ultimate glory. Unlike Rugby, where many would have predicted the final match-up, nobody would have imagined South Africa and New Zealand making it to the final of this T20 World Cup in UAE, even when the venue was shifted from Bangladesh.
These teams had to get through the overwhelming tournament favourites in Australia, one of the most consistent sides in England and India, who were primed to break the hegemony of the previously mentioned two teams. That did not happen. While England and India dropped out in the group stage, South Africa thrashed Australia to make it to the final.
New Zealand on the other hand, had to deal with a streak of losses getting into the tournament. Just before the World Cup when they faced Australia, Sophie Devine's side could not win a single match only to add to their misery.
However, it was a different ball game once the tournament started. A win against India in their opening game by 58 runs where for a change India looked like deers caught in the headline broke their losing streak, only for them to lose against Australia by a significant margin. Once Australia booked their semi-final spot, New Zealand had to face three-way competition with India and Pakistan to get out of their group and did it by beating Pakistan in Dubai.
For South Africa, it is probably another opportunity at redemption after missing the chance to lift the World Cup trophy in front of a packed Newlands Stadium in 2023 against Australia. A lot has changed in and around the South African team, and they have proved that they are the force to reckon with and their run to the final in the previous edition was not a fluke. "I think the girls have been playing longer. I feel like we've been in situations where it hasn't gone our way. I feel like we've learnt a lot quicker than what we have been before. And I feel that we also feel like we have nothing to lose," said Chloe Tryon ahead of the final.
"We didn't really come into the tournament, being nervous at the fact that we had played a final and there was a big expectation on us to get to another final. I just feel like we narrowed it down and just focused on every single game that was in front of us," she added.
Now, the two sides will face each other in a final that will be special for more than one reason. Starting with how no matter who wins, we will have a new winner of the T20 World Cup going home this time around.
"I think what's so exciting for us is it's two new teams. To be the first T20 world champions for their country, that's exciting for both of us. We know how competitive South Africa are and they love the big matches so it's going to be a great game tomorrow and we know some of the players from franchise cricket and when they get over that white line, they hold nothing back," former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates told the media ahead of the final.