The hosts didn't set the world alight, but they were clinical in their chasing of 149. The South African women were well in the game when opener Georgia Plimmer holed out at deep square leg to Chloe Tryon in the second over. Annerie Dercksen dismissed Isabella Gaze for 17, leaving New Zealand 35/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Captain Amelia Kerr and Sophie Devine steadied the ship, but an exciting tenth over from Nonkululeko Mlaba put South Africa in the driving seat. First, Mlaba trapped Kerr (30 off 28) in front, then Brooke Halliday decided on a risky second run and found herself short when keeper Sinalo Jafta whipped off the bails. At 68/4, the hosts were wavering.
But Devine was superlative. The right-hander worked the ball around Eden Park and was aptly supported by Maddy Green. The duo combined for 84 runs, with Devine undefeated on 55 off 38 as they reached the total with eight balls to spare.
Earlier, the Proteas Women had to wait 23 balls for their first boundary. Accurate bowling had them in trouble at 9/2 in the third over, with openers Sune Luus and Tazmin Brits back in the hut.
The indomitable Laura Wolvaardt teamed up with Dercksen to bring calm to proceedings. They put together 51 runs before Devine cleaned up Dercksen for 27.
Tryon looked good as she whipped a couple to the leg-side boundary but fell cheaply and when Wolvaardt - who top scored with 37 - and Jafta fell, leaving them 119/7, South Africa were in danger of not posting a defendable score. But Kyla Reyneke blasted three sixes to finish 34 not out and boost the visitors to 149/7.
South Africa Women produced a composed and confident performance to defeat New Zealand Women by 18 runs in the second T20I at Hamilton, levelling the series after their opening loss.
New Zealand defeated South Africa by 80 runs in their first encounter of the five-match women's T20 International series at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
Kayla Reyneke has earned a maiden call up to the Proteas Women's ODI squad for the three-match series in New Zealand that starts in Christchurch next month.
The Proteas Women will start their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign against Australia at Old Trafford in Manchester on 13 June with the global tournament being hosted in the UK.
