SA beat England, reach 2023 ICC Women's T20 WC final

South Africa overpowered England to reach the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup final. Batting first, SA compiled 164/4, riding on half-centuries from Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits. For England, ace spinner Sophie Ecclestone (3/22) was the best bet. Later, South African pacers got the desirable inroads to pocket the chase. Notably, it would be SA's first appearance in a T20 WC final.

Opting to bat, SA were 14/0 after four overs before changing gears. The pair of Wolvaardt and Brits scored in tandem as SA stitched a 96-run opening partnership. Later, Marizanne Kapp's blistering cameo (27*) got them past 160. England suffered two early setbacks before Danielle Wyatt and Natalie Sciver steadied their ship. England, however, fell short in the chase by six runs (158/8).

Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits added 96 runs among themselves. As per Cricbuzz, this was the third 50-plus opening stand for South Africa in the ongoing World Cup, the most by any team so far. As per ESPNcricinfo, it's the joint-second-highest partnership by SA against England in WT20Is, equalling Trisha Chetty and Dane van Niekerk's stand in Paarl in 2016.

Wolvaardt bashed five fours and six to tally a 44-ball 53. It was her sixth half-century in WT20Is and her second of the 2023 T20 WC. Her scores read 18, 13, 19, 66*, and 53. She also breached the 1,000-run mark in the format, becoming only the eighth SA batter to do so. She now has 1,018 WT20I runs at an average of 29.94.

Brits took on the scoring reins post Wolvaardt's departure. She hammered a 55-ball 68, smashing six fours and two maximums (SR: 123.64). It was her second successive fifty of the tournament as she compiled 176 runs at 44.00. She also scored an unbeaten 50 versus Bangladesh. Overall, it was Brits' seventh WT20I fifty as she raced to 783 runs at 30.11.

Ecclestone, the number one ranked WT20I bowler, was a class act in the semi-final. The left-arm spinner took 3/22 in four overs, including the prized scalp of Wolvaardt. She now has 97 wickets in 70 WT20Is while averaging a phenomenal 15.23. She is England's highest wicket-taker in the 2023 edition, with 11 scalps at 7.54.

Defending 165, Ayabonga Khaka put SA on top in the dying stages. The pacer claimed 4/29 in four overs. She claimed her second WT20I four-fer. She now has 47 wickets in 49 matches.

South Africa will face five-time winners Australia in the final on February 26 at Newlands (6:30 PM IST). SA will mark their first final appearance, having been a semi-finalist in 2014 and 2020. Notably, Australia will mark their seventh appearance in a T20 WC final.

England opener Danielle Wyatt managed a 30-ball 34, hitting six boundaries. The effort saw her race to 2,369 runs in 143 WT20Is. She surpassed Indian batting legend Mithali Raj, who tallied 2,364 runs across 89 matches at 37.52. Sciver-Brunt eased some pressure off England, scoring a 34-ball 40 (4s: 5). She now has 2,175 runs in 108 WT20Is.