Amelia Kerr Leads New Zealand to Historic ODI Victory Over South Africa
Historic Chase by New Zealand
Amelia Kerr has made a remarkable impact as the captain of New Zealand, guiding the White Ferns to a historic achievement on April 1 at the Basin Reserve in Wellington. They successfully chased down a daunting target of 347 runs against South Africa in the second ODI of the series, leveling the series and surpassing India's previous world record. The thrilling match concluded with New Zealand winning by two wickets, with just two balls remaining, setting the stage for an exciting series finale on April 4 at the same venue. Kerr was the standout performer, scoring an impressive 179 runs off 139 balls, boasting a strike rate of 128.78, and remained not out, hitting 23 fours and one six. Isabelle Gaze also contributed significantly with a score of 68, while no other player exceeded 23 runs.
New Zealand Sets New Record
New Zealand Breaks India's Record
This remarkable chase marks the highest successful run chase in the history of Women's ODI cricket, previously held by the Indian team. India had achieved a total of 339 runs during the semifinal of their victorious 2025 Women's World Cup campaign against Australia at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, with Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur being the key players.
Highest Successful Run Chase in Women's ODI History| Team | Opponent | Target Chased | Venue | Year |
| New Zealand | South Africa | 347 | Wellington | 2026 |
| India | Australia | 339 | Navi Mumbai | 2025 |
| Australia | India | 331 | Visakhapatnam | 2025 |
| Sri Lanka | South Africa | 302 | Potchefstroom | 2024 |
| Australia | New Zealand | 289 | North Sydney | 2012 |
Amelia Kerr's Record-Breaking Performance
Amelia Kerr Achieves Milestone
Kerr's outstanding performance has also set a new record for the highest individual score by a non-opener in women's ODI cricket, surpassing the previous record held by Chamari Athapaththu. Among captains, Meg Lanning's record was also broken today.
Highest Individual Score By Non-Openers In Women's ODIs| Player | Runs | Team | Opponent | Venue | Year |
| Amelia Kerr | 179* | New Zealand | South Africa | Wellington | 2026 |
| Chamari Athapaththu | 178* | Sri Lanka | Australia | Bristol | 2017 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 171 | India | Australia | Derby | 2017 |
| Suzie Bates | 168 | New Zealand | Pakistan | Sydney | 2009 |
| BM Hailday | 157 | New Zealand | Zimbabwe | Dunedin | 2026 |
Kerr's score is now the second-highest by a captain in a successful ODI chase, following Chamari's 195 runs against South Africa last year. If considering first innings scores, only Belindra Clark's 229 against Denmark in 1997 surpasses both Chamari's and Amelia's achievements. Additionally, Laura Wolvaardt's 184 runs in a losing effort against Sri Lanka in 2024 also stands out.