Watch: South Africa’s Kayla Reyneke achieves rare white-ball double in ODI vs New Zealand

South Africa’s Kayla Reyneke had an ODI debut to remember, helping the Proteas clinch the opening game of a three-match ODI series against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval on Sunday.

South Africa needed 79 runs off 75 balls when Reyneke walked in at number 8. Her measured 32-ball 42 helped the Proteas secure a win in a fixture that went right down to the wire.

With the experienced Suzie Bates bowling the final over, Reyneke smacked 13 off the 14 runs needed in the final over, with the match boiling down to six runs needed off the final ball.

The 20-year-old smashed the only two sixes of the match, both in the final over, first to hack down the target with a big strike over deep midwicket and then one to close the game, fittingly over the bowler’s head.

Her late surge and composure to see the job through earned her the Player of the Match honour on debut, backing up a similar haul in her T20I debut against Pakistan a month ago, a unique feat in the women’s game.

Published on Mar 29, 2026