Sports
New Zealand Claim Historic First Women’s T20 World Cup Title
In a thrilling final, New Zealand’s White Ferns made history by winning their first Women’s T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa by 32 runs in Dubai. This victory marks a remarkable turnaround for the team, who entered the tournament on the back of 10 consecutive losses. It is also their first T20 title after falling short in the finals of 2009 and 2010.
Batting first, New Zealand posted a formidable 158-5, thanks to a pivotal 57-run partnership between Melie Kerr (43 from 38 balls) and Brooke Halliday (38 from 28 balls). The duo helped anchor New Zealand’s innings after South Africa’s bowlers fought back in the middle overs. The Proteas’ attack, however, struggled with discipline, conceding 10 wides and three no-balls, allowing the White Ferns to rack up 48 runs in the final five overs.
South Africa’s response started well, with captain Laura Wolvaardt leading from the front, scoring a fluent 33. Despite a strong start, the Proteas collapsed from 51-0 to 126-9 as New Zealand’s bowlers, led by Kerr (3-24) and Rosemary Mair (3-25), applied relentless pressure. Kerr, who became the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, shone with both bat and ball, delivering a complete performance.
For South Africa, it was a bitter disappointment, having lost their second consecutive T20 World Cup final. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t handle the growing pressure as the required run rate soared.
This emotional win was particularly significant for New Zealand veterans Suzie Bates and captain Sophie Devine, who were moved to tears after the long-awaited victory. As a historic first, the International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded equal prize money to both men’s and women’s tournaments, with New Zealand taking home $2.34 million (£1.75 million) and South Africa receiving $1.7 million (£878,000).
New Zealand’s all-around brilliance on the day ensured that their long wait for a T20 title ended in style.
Warren Gatland is set to leave his role as Wales head coach after a record-breaking 14 consecutive Test match defeats, bringing an early end to his second tenure in charge.
Although the 61-year-old was contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, he was already expected to step down after the Six Nations. Now, his departure will come midway through the tournament, with Wales still set to face Ireland on 22 February in Cardiff, Scotland on 8 March, and England on 15 March.
Possible successors include former Australia coach Michael Cheika, Glasgow’s Franco Smith, and Ireland interim boss Simon Easterby.
Gatland, who enjoyed a highly successful 12-year first stint with Wales—winning three Grand Slams and leading the team to two World Cup semi-finals—returned in December 2022 to replace Wayne Pivac. However, his second tenure has been marred by poor performances, with Wales suffering their worst losing streak in 144 years of international rugby. The 22-15 loss to Italy last weekend cemented their decline, dropping them to 12th in the world rankings.
In total, Gatland has overseen 151 Tests across both spells, with 76 wins, 73 losses, and two draws. His recent record stands at just six victories in 26 matches, a win ratio of only 23%.
Tiger Woods has pulled out of this week’s Genesis Invitational, stating he is “still processing” the recent death of his mother, Kultida Woods.
The 15-time major champion, who had initially planned to participate, announced his withdrawal on social media, saying, “I planned to tee it up this week, but I’m just not ready. I did my best to prepare, knowing it’s what my mom would have wanted, but I’m still processing her loss.”
Woods’ mother, Kultida, passed away on February 4. Just days later, tournament organizers had confirmed Woods’ participation in the event, which is now being held at Torrey Pines instead of its usual Riviera Country Club venue due to wildfires in Los Angeles.
Woods has not played a PGA Tour event since The Open at Royal Troon last July. His competitive appearances have been sporadic since a 2021 car accident left him with severe leg injuries, and he underwent additional back surgery in September. Most recently, he played alongside his son, Charlie, in a 36-hole event in December and participated in an exhibition for the Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL), which he co-founded.
As the tournament host, Woods hopes to attend the Genesis Invitational later in the week but has not committed to a specific timeline. The event benefits his TGR Foundation, which supports youth education initiatives.
Fans and fellow players have expressed their condolences and support for Woods as he navigates this difficult time.
Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin has been ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee. The 23-year-old sustained the injury during Spurs’ Europa League clash against Elfsborg last week and will undergo surgery.
Dragusin is expected to be sidelined for at least six months, though recovery from ACL injuries can sometimes extend to a year. Tottenham confirmed that their medical team will monitor his rehabilitation to determine his return timeline.
The Romanian international had become a key figure for Spurs, starting 21 of their last 23 games. His absence adds to an already extensive injury list, which includes Destiny Udogie, Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner, Wilson Odobert, Cristian Romero, and Dominic Solanke. However, Micky van de Ven and Ben Davies have recently returned to action.
Dragusin joined Tottenham from Genoa in January 2024 in a £25 million deal. To bolster their defensive options, Spurs signed Austria international Kevin Danso on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option to buy for £21 million. They also made an ambitious £70 million bid for Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, which was rejected, but secured the signing of 19-year-old attacker Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich.
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