South Africa made history by defeating defending champions Australia in the first semi-final of the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, earning a spot in the final for the second consecutive year. The match took place on October 17 at Dubai International Stadium.
Australia struggled after being put in to bat, losing Grace Harris (3) and Georgia Wareham (5) early on. Beth Mooney (44 off 42 balls) and captain Tahlia McGrath (27 off 33 balls) added 50 runs for the third wicket, but their partnership took 55 balls, hindering the scoring rate. Ellyse Perry contributed 31 off 23 balls, helping Australia finish with 134 for five in 20 overs.
In response, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt scored 42 off 37 balls, but it was Anneke Bosch who shone with an unbeaten 74 off 48 balls, including eight fours and one six. Her outstanding performance led South Africa to an eight-wicket victory with 16 balls remaining, securing their place in the final of the tournament.
As South Africa advanced to the final by eliminating defending champions Australia, fans expressed their reactions on X. Here are a few of their comments:
“Against all odds, South Africa makes history by ending Australia’s 15-game T20 World Cup winning streak!”
https://x.com/babarazam0111/status/1846956558296416346?s=46
https://x.com/kwazeencubey/status/1846957148384686218?s=46
https://x.com/somdutt995311/status/1846956772327936080?s=46
https://x.com/auswomencricket/status/1846968443129479298?s=46
https://x.com/icc/status/1846957787739254958?s=46
https://x.com/scrumming_ten/status/1846999342001148396?s=46
https://x.com/rnawaz31888/status/1847112072527556960?s=46
https://x.com/sudhirbadola12/status/1846956982307377475?s=46
https://x.com/ashmitsingh27/status/1847095608261136733?s=46
“It means a lot; I can’t really put it into words” – Anneke Bosch reflects on South Africa’s qualification for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup final
Anneke Bosch was the star performer for the Proteas, scoring a crucial fifty. She struck the final run and finished not out at 74, guiding her team to a historic win. The 31-year-old also received the Player of the Match award. In the post-match presentation, she shared her thoughts, stating:
“My heart is racing a lot, it was tough out there, glad we got past the line. I’m happy to have contributed some runs. Just keep scoring those runs, play with the conditions around and stick to what you do best (on the chat with Wolvaardt).”
“It means a lot, can’t really describe, we knew we were capable, had a pretty good tournament coming into the game.”
”Thanks to all the support from our fans, we had plenty of them last time around (when they hosted the tournament in 2023), but they’ve stood by us and keep supporting us going ahead to the final,” she continued [as quoted by Cricbuzz].
Meanwhile, New Zealand and the West Indies will face off in the second semi-final at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Friday, October 18. The final is set for Sunday, October 20.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
