Women’s T20 World Cup results: Australia shocked by South Africa in semi-finals

Australia suffered a shock T20 World Cup semi-final exit as South Africa raced to an emphatic nine-wicket win in Dubai.

The defending champions lost their eighth appearance in the final, with the Proteas reaching the target of 135 with 16 balls to spare.

Anneke Bosch hit a sensational unbeaten 74 from 48 balls, while captain Laura Wolvaardt added an elegant 42 in a second-wicket partnership of 96 that left Australia reeling.

The epic chase came after South Africa’s bowlers smartly restricted Australia to 134-5 in a curiously underwhelming innings.

Grace Harris and Georgia Wareham fell early in the powerplay before debutant Beth Mooney anchored with 44 off 42 balls.

But they paid the price for stuttering in the middle overs, with the run rate rarely exceeding one run ball as captain Tahlia McGrath walked to 27 off 33.

Ellyse Perry’s 31 off 23 and Phoebe Litchfield’s nine-ball 16 added a late burst, but the total still looked subpar on a pitch that favored chasing, as the West Indies proved against England on Wednesday.

South Africa began the chase confidently with a powerplay of 43-1, comfortably ahead of Australia’s 35-2 at the same stage, before Tazmin Brits’s exit for 15 began the phenomenal partnership.

Bosch, whose previous score in the tournament was 25, hit eight fours and a six in his attempt to win the match, which rewarded the faith of the South African selectors who maintained their place at third in the line-up, and saw them achieve the second consecutive final following the 2023 home edition.