Wellington Blaze have once again proven why they are the gold standard of New Zealand’s domestic T20 cricket. Their 2025-26 Super Smash campaign wasn’t just a series of wins; it was a clinical display of depth, tactical superiority, and individual brilliance that saw them finish comfortably at the top of the table to secure a direct spot in the Grand Final.
The Blaze set the tone early in the season, treating their home turf at the Basin Reserve like an impenetrable fortress. They started with a statement 18-run victory over the Central Hinds and followed it up with a crushing 49-run win against Auckland Hearts. By the time they dismantled Northern Brave by 61 runs at Bay Oval, the competition knew that the defending champions weren’t just participating—they were dictating. Finishing the group stage with 7 wins from 10 matches and a healthy Net Run Rate of 0.891, they made the road to the final look far smoother than it actually was.
While she missed parts of the season due to international commitments, Amelia Kerr’s presence was transformative. Her campaign was headlined by a breathtaking 106* off just 61 balls against the Hearts—a masterclass in T20 batting that remains the highest individual score of the season. Averaging a staggering 103.00 across her appearances, Melie didn’t just score runs; she took the game away from the opposition. With the ball, she remained equally lethal, maintaining an economy rate of 4.82, the best among regular bowlers in the league.
Wellington’s real strength lay in their ability to choke teams during the middle overs. Xara Jetly and Jess Kerr formed a terrifying duo, both finishing the regular season with 14 wickets apiece. Jetly, in particular, was a revelation of consistency, hovering around an economy of 5.88 and consistently breaking partnerships just as they started to look dangerous. Whether it was Jess Kerr’s swing at the top or Jetly’s flight and guile, the Blaze bowling unit rarely allowed an opponent to cross the 150-run mark.
With the departure of some veteran names, Georgia Plimmer stepped up as the anchor of the batting order. She finished the league stage as the team’s leading run-scorer with 224 runs, showing a new-found maturity in how she paced her innings. But the Blaze’s success wasn’t a one-woman show. The X-factor often came from Maitlan Brown, whose strike rate of 143.53 provided the late-innings fireworks Wellington needed. Her unbeaten 44* off 25 balls against Otago Sparks was a prime example of her ability to turn a competitive total into a winning one.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing; the Blaze faced a few stutters, including a narrow 5-run loss to the Hinds and a 5-wicket defeat to the Hearts. However, what defines this Wellington side is their bounce-back ability. Following those losses, they showed immense grit in last-over thrillers, such as the 3-run win against Northern Brave and a 6-run nail-biter against Canterbury Magicians. These tight finishes battle-hardened the squad, proving that even when they aren’t at their clinical best, they know exactly how to scrape across the finish line.
As the Blaze head into the Grand Final, they do so not just as the team to beat, but as a squad that has mastered the art of winning from any situation. They are a well-oiled machine where the youngsters have stepped up and the veterans have kept their cool under fire. Having finished the regular season with 33 points and a massive psychological edge over the rest of the field, Wellington has set the stage for a fairy-tale finish. If they maintain this clinical edge for just one more game, they won’t just be champions—they’ll be cementing a dynasty that looks nearly impossible to topple.
