Suzie Bates struck a towering 91 not out, the highest individual score of the tournament so far, as New Zealand reached 167 for 2 in their allotted 20 overs.

"We were just determined to get ourselves off to a good start and we did that," Bates said. 

"After the ten over mark the scoreboard was ticking over and it was just really important once I was set." .

Her runs came in 64 balls and included three sixes, two in the last over of the innings.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine had shared an opening stand of 99 which helped give them the platform for what proved to be a winning score.

Devine took three for 39 as New Zealand’s bowlers largely controlled matters when South Africa batted although Chloe Tryon scored 39 and skipper Sune Luus made 32.

They reached 154 for 7 but lost by 13 runs.

Before England’s match against Sri Lanka, Alice Capsey was injured during practice.

"She was warming up doing some under arms into the net and I think she top edged one into her face," skipper Nat Sciver explained.

"We had a little bit of chaos in the warm up so getting everyone to focus on what they were doing, the cricket was the easy part."

Katherine Brunt had been presented with a commemorative cap to mark her 100th T20 international and immediately marked the occasion by taking a wicket with the first ball of the match.

Nilakshi de Silva top scored with 25 for the Sri Lankans but they could only reach 106 for 9.

England started confidently but needed a steadying hand from Capsey, who came in at the fall of the first wicket and departed for 44 only when victory was all but assured.

Maia Bouchier struck the winning runs in a five-wicket win.

The competition continues tomorrow with India taking on Pakistan and Barbados facing Australia in group A.