(ESPNCRICINFO) – October 20 can be written in big, bold letters, as one of New Zealand cricket’s unforgettable dates. Hours after men’s team recorded a famous Test win, their first in India in 36 years, the women’s team delivered the country’s maiden T20I World Cup in style in Dubai.

As a nation of four million clocked in to work on Monday morning, Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates – “grandmas of the team” as Bates laughed in jest – had just about finished theirs, getting their hands on the Women’s T20 World Cup trophy, the cup that had agonisingly got away from them 14 years ago at Kensington Oval.

It was fitting that the two legends, who have carried the country’s cricket ecosystem for so long, through issues with depth and limited financial resources, could enjoy the night of their lives in the twilight of their storied careers.

Amelia Kerr, who had hoped to dedicate the win to the golden oldies, couldn’t have stepped up with a more impactful effort – top scoring with 43, while also picking up three wickets, all with a slight limp due to cramps.

For added context, New Zealand had come into the tournament on a streak of 10 T20I losses, the longest losing streak any team has turned around to win a cricket World Cup. On this night, all of that didn’t matter though.

Bates and New Zealand come out swinging
New Zealand came out punching knowing 134 and 141 by Australia and England respectively had been razed at this venue over the past few days. They lost Georgia Plimmer – who’d struck a couple of fours – in the second over, but Bates quickly took over. She had been striking at 90.77 in five innings coming into the final; here she showed intent right from the get go, getting a boundary – walloped over midwicket – off her second ball. But from 17 off 13, she slowed down as the introduction of spin made stroke-making a challenge.

By then, the pressure of a final had by then begun to gnaw at both teams. Marizanne Kapp missed a potential run-out opportunity against Bates in the fifth over when she couldn’t cleanly pick up a nudge at square leg. Sinalo Jafta missed a stumping opportunity in the sixth, failing to collect the ball as Bates was dragged out. It cost South Africa just 12 more though, as Bates fell for a 31-ball 32 attempting a ramp off Nonkululeko Mlaba in the eighth over.