A superb 74 runs not out from Anneke Bosch (31) shines as South Africa reach Women’s T20 World Cup final as they defeated defending champions Australia by eight wickets in Dubai on Thursday.
With 135 to win, South Africa reached their target with 16 balls to spare, with Bosch, who hit eight fours and a six in her innings of 48, sharing a match-winning partnership of 96 with captain Laura Wolvaardt (42).
In Sunday’s final, which will be the first not to involve Australia or England, the South Africans will face either the West Indies or New Zealand, who meet in the second semi-final on Friday.
Australia, who have won six of the previous eight editions, had been favourites to win a seventh title in the United Arab Emirates.
However, they had no answer for South Africa, for whom this marked a measure of revenge for the loss to Australia in last year’s final in Cape Town.
“I think this is one of the best wins of my cricket career, for sure. A couple of other girls have said that as well,” Wolvaardt said.
“I think it was an incredible chase. The pitchers are excellent. It’s been a good year for us. I think it’s been a real collective effort.”
Put into bat, Australia, who were again without their injured captain Alyssa Healy, struggled from the start with the normally fluent Beth Mooney top-scoring with a grafting 44 that included just two fours.
Healy’s stand-in Tahlia McGrath made 27 and Ellyse Perry 31 but the run rate only got moving once Phoebe Litchfield came in to club a rapid 15 from nine balls.
The South Africans made a brisk start with Tazmin Brits hitting a six and a four before being bowled by Annabel Sutherland for 15.
That brought in Bosch who had had a mediocre tournament until Thursday with a highest score of 25 against Bangladesh.
She was quickly into her stride, using the slog sweep to great effect as she knocked all of the Australian bowlers apart from Sutherland off their rhythm.
She duly posted her third fifty in T20I cricket, going on to make her highest total in the format and the top score in this tournament.
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