South Africa delivered a remarkable upset by eliminating six-time champions Australia from the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, securing an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Proteas, under the leadership of Laura Wolvaardt, exacted revenge for their 2023 final defeat, where they lost to Meg Lanning’s team by 19 runs in Cape Town. This time, they bested the defending champions, who played without their captain Alyssa Healy due to a foot injury sustained in the match against Pakistan. With this historic win, South Africa achieved a long-awaited victory over Australia in T20 World Cup history, breaking an eight-match losing streak against them and snapping Australia’s impressive 15-match winning run in the tournament.
Batting first, Australia managed to put up a modest score of 134 for 5 against South Africa. The innings got off to a shaky start as Ayobonga Khaka struck early, sending makeshift opener Grace Harris back to the pavilion for just three runs. Georgia Wareham quickly followed, putting Australia in a tough spot. However, Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath came together to stabilize the innings, forming a crucial 50-run partnership for the third wicket until left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba intervened, dismissing McGrath for 27.
Mooney finished as the top scorer for Australia, making 44 runs off 42 balls before being run out in the 17th over. Ellyse Perry also played a vital role, adding some much-needed momentum with 31 runs off 23 balls. Phoebe Litchfield contributed a quick 16 runs from just nine deliveries to help boost the total.
For South Africa, Khaka was the standout bowler, recording impressive figures of 2 for 24 in her four overs. Marizanne Kapp and Mlaba each took one wicket, while Chloe Tryon bowled economically to keep Australia’s scoring in check. South Africa’s victory now sets the stage for an exciting final as they pursue their first Women’s T20 World Cup title.
