Anneke Bosch delivered a stellar performance by scoring an unbeaten 74 runs, leading South Africa to victory over defending champions Australia by eight wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final held in Dubai on Thursday. This remarkable achievement propelled South Africa into the final, where they will face either the West Indies or New Zealand.
Chasing a target of 135, South Africa accomplished the feat with 16 balls to spare, showcasing their batting prowess. Bosch’s innings included eight fours and a six off 48 deliveries, and she formed a significant partnership of 96 runs with captain Laura Wolvaardt, who chipped in with 42 runs. This collaboration proved vital in overcoming the Australian bowling attack.
The final will mark a historic occasion, as it will be the first time in Women’s T20 World Cup history that neither Australia nor England will compete for the title. Australia had been strong favorites, having claimed six of the last eight titles, but South Africa was determined to avenge their loss to Australia in the previous year’s final.
Wolvaardt expressed her pride in the victory, stating, “This is undoubtedly one of the best wins of my cricketing career. It was an incredible chase, and our bowlers did exceptionally well. This year has been remarkable for us, and it’s truly a collective effort.”
Australia, batting first, struggled significantly without their injured captain, Alyssa Healy. Beth Mooney top-scored for Australia with a painstaking 44 runs, while Ellyse Perry contributed 31. The Australian innings lacked momentum until Phoebe Litchfield’s late surge, scoring 15 off nine balls.
South Africa began their innings confidently, with Tazmin Brits making a quick 15 runs before being bowled. When Bosch entered, she quickly turned the tide, effectively utilizing her signature slog sweep to dominate the bowlers. Her innings not only marked her highest score in T20I cricket but also made her the leading run-scorer of the tournament.
Post-match, Bosch, awarded Player of the Match, reflected on her performance, stating, “It was challenging out there, but I’m thrilled we could secure the win and that I could finally contribute runs.” Wolvaardt, now the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 190 runs, fell just short of finishing the game, but Bosch sealed the deal with a powerful shot through midwicket.
For Australia, Tahlia McGrath acknowledged the defeat, stating, “We didn’t show up tonight, and that’s crucial in tournaments like this. Full credit to South Africa; they outplayed us.”
