In a gripping contest at Hagley Oval, South Africa Women defeated New Zealand Women by two wickets in the opening ODI of the 2026 tour. The match lived up to expectations as it went down to the final ball, with Kayla Reyneke emerging as the hero.

Chasing a competitive 269, South Africa held their nerve despite losing wickets at crucial intervals. Debutant Reyneke’s unbeaten 42 off 32 deliveries ensured the visitors crossed the finish line in dramatic fashion. The victory gives South Africa a 1-0 lead in the series and sets the tone for a fiercely contested tour.

New Zealand post competitive total after middle-order resistance

Put in to bat first, New Zealand posted 268 all out in 50 overs, thanks largely to a strong middle-order effort. After a cautious start, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer built a steady foundation, but regular breakthroughs prevented a dominant start.

Captain Amelia Kerr contributed a composed 36, stabilizing the innings during the early phase. However, it was Maddy Green who anchored the innings with a fluent 85, combining patience with timely aggression.

Support came from Isabella Gaze, who added a valuable 37, helping New Zealand recover from mid-innings pressure. Despite these contributions, the hosts lost wickets in clusters towards the end, limiting their chances of reaching a bigger total beyond 280.

South Africa’s bowling attack, led by disciplined spells, ensured New Zealand were kept within reach.

A standout performance came from Ayabonga Khaka, who delivered a match-defining spell. She picked up 6 wickets for 56 runs, dismantling New Zealand’s batting lineup at key moments.

Khaka’s ability to strike in the middle and death overs proved crucial. She removed set batters, including the dangerous Maddy Green and triggered a late collapse that saw New Zealand lose their final wickets quickly.

Her performance not only restricted the total but also shifted the momentum firmly in South Africa’s favor heading into the chase.

Kayla Reyneke holds nerve to seal last-ball victory

South Africa’s chase began on a shaky note with an early dismissal, but captain Laura Wolvaardt steadied the innings with a fluent 61. Her knock provided the foundation for a competitive chase.

The highlight of the innings was a crucial 123-run partnership between Annerie Dercksen (72) and Sune Luus (53). Their stand revived South Africa after early setbacks and put the team in a strong position.

However, New Zealand fought back with timely wickets. Bowlers like Amelia Kerr and Jess Kerr tightened the screws, creating pressure in the latter half of the innings.

As wickets continued to fall, the match swung unpredictably, setting up a thrilling finish.

With the game hanging in the balance, Reyneke stepped up with a composed and fearless innings. Her unbeaten 42 proved decisive as she guided South Africa through a tense final over.

Also READ: Stafanie Taylor’s century goes in vain as Australia thrash West Indies in the first Women’s ODI

Reyneke displayed remarkable calmness under pressure, finding boundaries when needed and rotating the strike effectively. With 6 runs required off the final ball, she kept her calm and sealing a memorable victory for her team.

What a performance from Kayla Reyneke on her ODI debut ⚡#NZvSA #KaylaReyneke pic.twitter.com/fDWWyULrAi

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) March 29, 2026

Her finishing ability under pressure will be remembered as one of the defining moments of the match.

Also READ: New Zealand vs South Africa, Women’s ODI Series – Schedule, Squads, Broadcast and Live Streaming details

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Vinod Khosla has proposed changes to the US tax system to address concerns about job losses linked to artificial intelligence (AI). He suggested eliminating federal income tax for Americans earning less than $100,000 and managing the revenue by increasing taxes on capital gains. Khosla said taxing capital gains at the same rate as income could allow around 125 million lower- and middle-income Americans to avoid paying federal income tax without reducing government revenues. The American venture capitalist and one of OpenAI’s early investors has argued that American policymakers need to respond to growing public anxiety and has outlined the need to rethink how income and capital are taxed as AI reshapes the economy.Speaking at a forum in Washington, Khosla told the Financial Times, “When I talk to people, the biggest thing is fear of AI taking their job by far,” adding that this would be “the single biggest issue” in the 2028 US presidential election cycle.The report notes that AI has moved higher on voters’ list of concerns this year, as its effects on areas such as jobs, the economy, mental health and warfare have become more visible. The Trump administration has opposed attempts by individual states to introduce stricter rules. However, there are signs of a divide within, as some supporters are calling for tighter controls on AI.

What Vinod Khosla said about the current US AI policy

Khosla, who was a major Democratic donor in recent election cycles, said the Trump administration had “generally done a pretty good job” on AI policy, the FT report noted.He pointed to AI and crypto tsar David Sacks and senior State Department official Jacob Helberg, who co-hosts this week’s Hill and Valley Forum. Helberg is married to Keith Rabois, a managing director at Khosla’s firm.At the same time, he said Trump has a “complete lack of values of any sort” and a “negotiating style that destroys credibility”.Khosla added that he had not decided who to support for president in 2028. He criticised two frequently discussed Republican contenders: vice-president JD Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio for tolerating Trump’s “values”.He also criticised Democrats, saying the party’s weaker fundraising ahead of the November midterm elections reflects donor “frustration with going too far left”.He said he had spoken “briefly” with California governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, about AI but was looking for a “surprise” presidential candidate to emerge, the report added.“Democrats are too focused on the wrong thing, which is job preservation, not providing security to those who are displaced. Those are fundamentally different things. So, we’ll see who comes out in the middle. My view is every election cycle we have a surprise. Obama was a surprise. Trump was a surprise . . . So I’m hoping we’ll have a surprise,” Khosla added.