South Africa Women made it to their second Women’s T20 World Cup final on the trot after handing Australia Women an assertive eight-wicket loss in the first semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. A clinical bowling performance saw Australia registering their lowest score out of any of the totals they registered in the five instances of them batting first (including the warm-up fixtures). On the other side of the mid-innings break, South Africa never really looked like they were behind in the game, eventually getting the better of their opposition for the very first time in the history of the competition.
With Alyssa Healy out of the squad due to an acute injury to her right foot, it was always going to be a challenge for the opening stand to match her standards in as high-stakes a match as this one. Ayabonga Khaka wasted no time in making her mark as she picked up her first wicket of the game on the very first delivery of her spell. The subsequent over saw Marizanne Kapp get into the act as Georgia Wareham feathered one through to Sinalo Jafta. At the end of the powerplay, Australia saw themselves score 35 for the loss of two wickets, their score during this year’s event.
Tahlia McGrath and Beth Mooney did rotate the strike well after the powerplay, but couldn’t get a move on as the former departed for a 32-ball 27-run knock with her partner on the same score, the only difference being playing five deliveries lesser than her. A late burst from the pair of Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry did manage to put up 134 on the board, but it did somehow look unconvincing to the eye. Kapp and Khaka both conceded 24 off their allotted quotas and it had to be said that it was a really tidy performance from the South African unit to restrict the batting powerhouse of Australia to such a total.
A 12 and nine-run over seemed to have broken the shackles for South Africa after the first couple of overs only resulted in four being scored. However, a nip-backer to Tazmin Brits, who was the leading run-getter in this year’s edition until she was dismissed, seemed to have brought Australia back into the game. Darcie Brown and Sophie Molineux did not start as per the situation and both of their first overs were milked for 10 runs each. A boundary and a maximum by Anneke Bosch off Wareham was the first time South Africa required less than a run-a-ball, with the impossible looking very much in reach.
It was all a bit too late for Australia Women even after they claimed the skipper, Laura Wolvaardt, on the final delivery of the 15th over, since by then, all South Africa needed was 14 off five overs. Annabel Sutherland finished her spell (2/26), with no other bowler seeming as potent as her. Bosch fittingly finished the match in style as a boundary towards deep midwicket provided an iconic moment for the Proteas with them breaching the Australian fortress by getting the better of the six-time champions and booking a berth in the final for themselves.
Here’s how X reacted to the first semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Anneke Bosch scores the first fifty in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, and it came at the right time for the Proteas in the semifinals.
South Africa is on course to knock out Australia.
📸: Disney + Hotstar#AUSWvSAW #T20Worldcup pic.twitter.com/H1AlHkyaek
— JassPreet (@JassPreet96) October 17, 2024
Australia Ni Kotti Finals Ki Velladam Lo Picha Kick Undhi 😎🔥#AUSWvSAW #ProteaWomen pic.twitter.com/vIO7lDgKQC
— गौतम् కృష్ణ) 🇿🇦 (@Rider_Gauti) October 17, 2024
What an unexpected day…
🚫INDIA 46 all out in a home test
🚫NIFTY 1% crash
🚫#AUSW losing a T20WC Semis after 15 years#INDvNZ #StockMarket #AUSWvSAW pic.twitter.com/o86MtARzuQ
— Thirumala Sai M (@mtsai4444) October 17, 2024
Wow, the Aussies are out! That’s not something you hear very often in women’s cricket #AUSWvSAW
— Nimanka (@SLinShadows) October 17, 2024
Beating the AusW team in any match is a significant achievement but doing that in a semifinal match of a world cup is historic..
Congrats @ProteasWomenCSA 👏🏻
Hopefully this time…#AUSWvSAW https://t.co/QUGsJgmKo3
— ಜಿತೇಂದ್ರ (@imjithendraa) October 17, 2024
The mighty Australia is out of T20 Women’s World Cup.. South Africa Women’s beat Defending Champions by 8 Wicket in Semi Final.
SA beat Aus for 1st time in T20 World Cup#AUSWvSAW #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/CDaU2pt1Ev
— Shakeel Khan Khattak (@ShakeelktkKhan) October 17, 2024