With their respective victories in their last group matches on Tuesday at Newlands in Cape Town, England and South Africa have earned a spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup semifinals.
England, who already had a spot in the last four secured, finished first in Group Two with a thrashing 114-run victory over Pakistan.
Although winning by 10 wickets against Bangladesh in the second game of a doubleheader, South Africa’s performance was not totally convincing.
Group One winners Australia will play Group Two runners-up India on Thursday, with England and South Africa meeting on Friday.
The semi-finals as well as the final on Sunday will take place at Newlands. Nat Sciver-Brunt, who won her third player of the match award in four games, explained England’s offensive strategy under new coach Jon Lewis.
Sciver-Brunt smashed 81 unanswered points off 40 balls as England sprinted to a Women’s T20 World Cup record 213 for five.
Sciver-Brunt stated, “We decided in our strategy to put the burden back on the opposing team.”
That means that we put the bowlers under strain and play to our strengths rather than just throwing the ball around and forming a partnership.
She said that the ball-related policy was similarly forceful. “We put a lot of emphasis on getting wickets.” Before the ninth batsman, Tuba Hassan, hit 28, England had Pakistan down to 54 for seven, allowing them to end with 99 for nine.
After holding Bangladesh to 113 for six, South Africa prevailed with 13 balls remaining. Tazmin Brits was undefeated at 50 and Laura Wolvaardt hit 66 before being out. After a rocky start to the home team’s innings and a weak showing on the field, South African captain Sune Luus remarked, “It was a bit of a nervous start.”
The opening duo were “world-class players, but we backed them,” Luus added. The South African bowlers, who were also lauded by Luus, were “outstanding; 113 was below par on this surface,” he added.
In the beginning of their innings, South Africa experienced some unease.
Before a run was struck, Wolvaardt was given out leg before wicket to Bangladesh’s excellent 18-year-old opening bowler Marufa Akter, but he was saved on review.
In the following over, Tazmin Brits was dropped by Nahida Akter, and Wolvaardt ought to have been out in the third.