New Zealand survives anxious last over to beat West Indies and reach Women’s T20 World Cup final

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New Zealand’s players celebrate after wining against West Indies’ during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Eden Carson, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Georgia Plimmer plays a shot during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Deandra Dottin, center, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand’s Maddy Green during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Suzie Bates reacts after getting bowled out during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Zaida James unsuccessfully attempts to field a ball during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Shemaine Campbelle chases a ball during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Chinelle Henry bowls a delivery during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Suzie Bates plays a shot during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Deandra Dottin bowls a delivery during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Afy Fletcher, right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Fran Jonas, left, celebrates the dismissal of West Indies’ Chedean Nationduring the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Fran Jonas celebrates after taking a catch to dismiss West Indies’ Deandra Dottin during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ Deandra Dottin plays a shot during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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West Indies’ captain Hayley Matthews plays a shot during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

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New Zealand’s Molly Penfold drops a catch from West Indies’ Zaida James during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final match between New Zealand and West Indies at Sharjah Stadium, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Suzie Bates held her nerve in the final over as New Zealand advanced to the Women’s T20 World Cup final for the first time in 14 years with an eight-run victory over West Indies on Friday.

Bates (1-6) bowled her only over with West Indies needing 15 more runs to win the semifinal match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The right-arm medium conceded a four off the first delivery before taking a wicket and conceding only two runs in the rest of the over.

Eden Carson took 3-29, while Amelia Kerr picked up 2-14 in four overs, as New Zealand restricted West Indies’ chase to 120-8 in 20 overs. This was after 2016 champion West Indies had bowled well enough to restrain New Zealand to a competitive 128-9 after the White Ferns chose to bat first.

New Zealand is twice runners-up in this tournament — 2009 and 2010.

It will now take on South Africa in Sunday’s final at Dubai, where a first-time champion will be crowned.

South Africa stunned defending champion Australia in the first semifinal on Thursday, winning by eight wickets to reach its second straight final.

Earlier, Bates had led a fine opening charge with 26 runs off 28 balls, and put on 48 off 50 with Georgia Plimmer.

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Plimmer top scored for New Zealand with a 31-ball 33, including her team’s only six and three fours. After Bates’ dismissal in the ninth over, Plimmer held the innings together as New Zealand lost Amelia Kerr (7) and skipper Sophie Devine (12) cheaply.

West Indies’ Deandra Dottin produced an all-round performance on the night, starting with 4-22 in four overs. She had sent back Kerr, and then claimed another three wickets through the lower-middle order.

Dottin had support from Afy Fletcher, who took 2-23, as the duo squeezed runs late into the New Zealand innings.

Brooke Halliday scored 18 off nine balls, while Isabella Gaze’s 20 not out off 14 balls helped her team reach a defendable total.

In reply, West Indies looked for a quick start but it didn’t happen as Carson bowled Qiana Joseph for 12. Lea Tahuhu proved expensive overall (1-33 in three overs), but picked up the vital early wicket of skipper Hayley Matthews (15).

Off-spinner Carson didn’t allow West Indies’ big hitters to get going. Shemaine Campbelle was out caught for three, while Carson bowled Stefanie Taylor for 13.

West Indies was 63-5 in the 14th over, when Dottin smacked 33 off 22, including three sixes, to deflate the opposition.

“When Dottin was pumping us, we believed and stuck it out to get over the line,” said Carson, who was named player of the match. “We had to defend a below par total and get those early wickets because West Indies is a dangerous side.”

It was Kerr who provided the turning point — Dottin holed out in the 17th over.

After a nervous start to the last over, Bates dismissed Zaida James off the third ball.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket