South Africa stunned England in the second semifinal of the Women’s T20 World Cup at Newlands by 6 runs to reach their first-ever final in its cricketing history.
Chasing the hosts’ score of 164/4, England managed to get to the figure of 158/8 from their 20 overs despite being in complete control during the majority of their innings.
Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka took 7 wickets between them to put the clamps on England in the middle overs.
Batting first, South Africa relied on the efforts of their opening pair to put a decent total on the board.
Tazmin Brits (68 from 55 balls) shared a 96-run opening stand with Laura Wolvaardt (53 from 44) before her another quick 46-run partnership with Marizanne Kapp (27 not out from 13 balls) gave South Africa hope of pulling off the upset.
England, who scored a record amount of runs in their previous game against Pakistan, looked in complete control of the chase from the off.
Sophia Dunkley (28 off 16) and Danni Wyatt (34 off 30) raced to 53 from the first five overs before the hosts fought back.
Wyatt, Dunkley and Alice Capsey all fell in quick succession but Nat Sciver-Brunt (40 off 34) and Heather Knight (31 off 25) kept their side in the contest only for Ismail and Khaka to deliver the final blow.
The win over England which took South Africa to the Women’s T20 World Cup final happens to be the first time the country has reached a major ICC event’s final either in men’s or women’s cricket.
They will play the favourites Australia in the final on Sunday who is gunning for its 6th title in their seventh consecutive summit clash.
