The South African women cricket national team caused the biggest upset at the T20 World Cup in Dubai, by eliminating six-time winners, Australia, racing to an emphatic eight-wicket win.
The defending champions also missed out on an eighth final appearance as the Proteas reached their target of 135 with 16 balls to spare with Anneke Bosch striking a sensational unbeaten 74 from 48 balls while captain Laura Wolvaardt added a classy 42 in a second-wicket partnership of 96 that left Australia reeling.
The brilliant run of the South African women was executed by their bowlers who smartly restricted Australia to 134-5 in a curiously underwhelming innings.
Australia paid the price for stuttering in the middle overs, with the run-rate rarely creeping over a run a ball as captain Tahlia McGrath trudged to 27 from 33.
South Africa started the chase confidently with a powerplay of 43-1, comfortably ahead of Australia’s 35-2 at the same stage, before Tazmin Brits’ departure for 15 opened the door for the phenomenal match-winning partnership.
Bosch, whose previous high score in the tournament was 25, crunched eight fours and a six in her match-winning effort, rewarding the faith of the South Africa selectors who kept her at number three, and meant they reached their second successive final after the 2023 edition on home soil.
Reacting to the win, South African cricket writer Firdose Moonda told BBC Radio 5 Live: “We have had an incredible 18 months of sport in South Africa.
“We are a country with very little financial resource, compared to others like Australia for example, and we are a country punching so far above its weight, while being one of the most diverse teams and unifying South Africa.
“Many people survive on hope alone in our country and these women have brought so much hope.”
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