The Proteas broke through the Australian stronghold, defeating the six-time winners and securing a spot in the final thanks to a boundary into deep midwicket, which Anneke Bosch fittingly ended the match in style in.

After a decisive eight-wicket defeat of Australia Women in the opening semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, South Africa Women advanced to their second consecutive Women’s T20 World Cup final. Australia recorded their lowest score of any of the five times they batted first (including the warm-up matches) due to a clinical bowling performance. After the mid-innings break, South Africa ultimately defeated their opponents for the first time in the competition’s history, but they never truly appeared to be behind in the match.

It was always going to be difficult for the opening stand to live up to Alyssa Healy’s standards in a match with as much stakes as this one, given she was sidelined by a severe injury to her right foot. With her first wicket of the match on the opening delivery of her spell, Ayabonga Khaka made an immediate impression. Marizanne Kapp entered the game in the next over after Georgia Wareham hit Sinalo Jafta with a feathered ball. Australia’s final powerplay score at the end of this year’s tournament was 35 for the loss of two wickets.

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Beth Mooney and Tahlia McGrath did a good job of rotating the strike following the powerplay, but they were unable to get anything going. The former left for a 27-run knock off 32 balls with her partner on the same score, with the only difference being that she played five deliveries less than her. Despite putting 134 on the board with a late blitz from Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry, it didn’t seem very convincing. It must be stated that the South African team put on a really clean show to hold the batting superpower of Australia to such a total, even if Kapp and Khaka both let up 24 runs off their allocated quotas.

After the opening two of overs only saw four runs scored, a 12-run over with nine runs appeared to have burst the shackles for South Africa. Tazmin Brits, the top run scorer in this year’s tournament until she was removed, appeared to have drawn Australia back into the match with a nip-backer. Both Sophie Molineux and Darcie Brown were milked for ten runs each in their first overs because they did not start according to the circumstances.

The impossible appeared very much within reach when South Africa needed less than a run-a-ball for the first time, thanks to a boundary and a maximum by Anneke Bosch off Wareham.

Even after they claimed captain Laura Wolvaardt on the last delivery of the fifteenth over, it was a bit too late for Australia Women since at that point, South Africa just needed 14 off five overs. After finishing her period with a score of 2/26, Annabel Sutherland appeared to be the most effective bowler.

Also Read: Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Ellyse Perry provides on update on Alyssa Healy’s injury

Here’s how X reacted to the first semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024:

The mighty Australia is out of T20 Women’s World Cup.. South Africa Women’s beat Defending Champions by 8 Wicket in Semi Final.
SA beat Aus for 1st time in T20 World Cup#AUSWvSAW #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/CDaU2pt1Ev

— Shakeel Khan Khattak (@ShakeelktkKhan) October 17, 2024

Beating the AusW team in any match is a significant achievement but doing that in a semifinal match of a world cup is historic..
Congrats @ProteasWomenCSA 👏🏻
Hopefully this time…#AUSWvSAW https://t.co/QUGsJgmKo3

— ಜಿತೇಂದ್ರ (@imjithendraa) October 17, 2024

HISTORY HAS BEEN WRITTEN.

– South Africa have knocked out Australia in the Semis Final, the first Women’s T20WC Final without Australia in 15 years. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/0333HYrlSk

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 17, 2024

Wow, the Aussies are out! That’s not something you hear very often in women’s cricket #AUSWvSAW

— Nimanka (@SLinShadows) October 17, 2024

What an unexpected day…

🚫INDIA 46 all out in a home test

🚫NIFTY 1% crash

🚫#AUSW losing a T20WC Semis after 15 years

— Thirumala Sai M (@mtsai4444) October 17, 2024

Australia Ni Kotti Finals Ki Velladam Lo Picha Kick Undhi 😎🔥#AUSWvSAW #ProteaWomen pic.twitter.com/vIO7lDgKQC

— गौतम् కృష్ణ) 🇿🇦 (@Rider_Gauti) October 17, 2024

Anneke Bosch scores the first fifty in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, and it came at the right time for the Proteas in the semifinals.

South Africa is on course to knock out Australia.

📸: Disney + Hotstar#AUSWvSAW #T20Worldcup pic.twitter.com/H1AlHkyaek

— JassPreet (@JassPreet96) October 17, 2024