Cricket

South Africa Stuns Australia to Reach T20 World Cup Final

South Africa ended their losing streak against Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup with a dominant eight-wicket win, eliminating the Aussies from their bid for a fourth consecutive title. In Dubai, Anneke Bosch was the star, smashing an unbeaten 74 from 48 balls, hitting nine boundaries, including the winning four. Alongside Laura Wolvaardt, who added 42 off 37 balls, South Africa chased Australia’s 134-run target with 16 balls to spare. This win propels South Africa to the final, where they will face either the West Indies or New Zealand.

Australia, missing captain Alyssa Healy due to a foot injury from their match against Pakistan, struggled to find rhythm after being sent into bat. Beth Mooney top-scored with 44 off 42 balls, setting a new record as the fastest player to reach 3,000 T20 international runs in just 100 innings. Despite her efforts, Australia could only post 134-5.

This victory marks a significant moment in the tournament, as for the first time, neither Australia nor England will feature in the Women’s T20 World Cup final. South Africa now aims for their first major title in T20 or 50-over cricket.

Key Takeaways:

South Africa beats Australia by eight wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal.
Anneke Bosch shines with an unbeaten 74; Laura Wolvaardt adds 42.
Beth Mooney’s 44 leads Australia, who post 134-5.
South Africa will face West Indies or New Zealand in the final.
This marks the first time Australia or England won’t appear in the T20 final.

Image Credits: NDTV

Siddharth Dahiya