Wellington, March 22 (IANS) Amelia Kerr scripted history by registering the most consecutive 30-plus scores in T20 Internationals, across both men’s and women’s cricket, as New Zealand Women defeated South Africa Women to take an unassailable lead in the five-game series.

Kerr extended her remarkable consistency with a knock of 31 off 29 balls in Wellington after returning figures of 1/32 in four overs to help restrict South Africa to 159/6. Her all-round effort played a key role in New Zealand’s six-wicket win, achieved with nine balls to spare, as the hosts moved 3-1 ahead in the series.

The 25-year-old has now scored 30 or more runs in 10 consecutive T20I innings, setting a new world record. She surpassed the previous mark of nine, jointly held by Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu and Romania’s Rebecca Blake.

Kerr’s purple patch has spanned multiple series, underscoring her consistency at the highest level. Her run began with a 43 off 38 balls against South Africa in 2024, followed by an unbeaten 51 off 46 against Australia in 2025. She then scored 40 off 36 and 66 off 47 in the same series, before producing a career-defining unbeaten 101 off 51 against Zimbabwe in her first T20I in 2026.

The right-hander continued her dominance with 82 off 52 against Zimbabwe, before returning to face South Africa in the ongoing series, where she has posted scores of 78 off 44, 32 off 18, 30 off 28 and 31 off 29, completing a sequence of 10 consecutive 30-plus innings.

Across these 10 innings, spanning 11 matches, Kerr has amassed 554 runs at an impressive strike rate of 142. In addition to her batting exploits, she has also been effective with the ball, picking up 12 wickets at an economy rate of 6.74, highlighting her value as a premier all-rounder.

In the recently concluded Wellington match on Sunday, South Africa posted a competitive total, but New Zealand chased it down comfortably, thanks largely to a blistering 64 off 34 balls by former skipper Sophie Devine. Kerr’s steady contribution at the top helped stabilise the innings after an early wicket, ensuring the chase stayed on track.

–IANS

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