England defeated defending champions New Zealand by 9 wickets at The Kia Oval to conclude Group B play at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Chasing a first-innings total of 163/6, England reached 164/1 in 17.2 overs to secure the victory. The match drew a record-breaking crowd of over 21,000 spectators, the highest attendance ever recorded for a women’s T20 group stage game.
Opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge anchored the run chase with an unbeaten 89. Sophia Dunkley provided support with 49 not out. The pair built a partnership that eclipsed 100 runs and maintained an aggressive scoring pace following a brief rain delay. New Zealand’s defeat eliminated them from the tournament and ended their run as defending champions.
The result directly impacted the tournament bracket. Because New Zealand failed to secure a win, the West Indies officially advanced to the semi-finals as the second team out of Group B, according to the ICC, despite the West Indies losing their final group match to Ireland earlier in the day.
The conclusion of the match marked a farewell for New Zealand veterans Sophie Devine, Suzie Bates, and Lea Tahuhu. Both teams and the backroom staff gave the players a guard of honor as they walked off the pitch, a moment highlighted in a live Guardian report.