Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits struck unbeaten half centuries during their unconquered 117-run opening partnership as South Africa thrashed Bangladesh by 10 wickets to reach the semifinals of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. (More Cricket News)
The Proteas finished second in Group 1, behind defending champions Australia w🌟ho won all their four matches.
South Africa, New Zealan🌟d and Sri Lanka ended their group engagements on four points each. But the hosts made it to the semifinals as they have the best net෴ run rate of +0.738 among the three teams.
💟New Zealand and Sri Lanka have NRR of +0.138 and - 1.460 respe♛ctively.
The Sune Luus-led side, thus, became the first South African team -- male or female, junior or senior -- to reach t❀he final four of a major🐈 ICC event staged on their soil.
So🎃uth Africa play Group 2 toppers England -- who are unbeaten so far -- in the second semifinal here on Friday.
Wolvaardt (66 not out ofꦉf 56 balls) and Brits (50 not out off 51 balls) struck their team's first half-centuries of the tournament as South Africa overhaul Bangladesh's 114-run target with 13 balls to spare, reaching 117 for no loss in 17.5 overs on Tuesday.
Bangladesh opted to bat and the Proteas struck twice in the powerplay, with Murshida Khatun chipping Marizanne Kapp to mid-on for a si🌺x-ball duck and Shamima then skying Shabnim Ismail to midwicket.
From 22 for two, skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and 💟Sobhana Mostary carefully rebuilt the innings and rotated strike nicely w𒉰ithout peppering the boundary.
Sobhana was dropped by Brits on 25 but the third-wicket stand was snapped at 33 when she missed a sl🤡og sweep across the line and Nonkululeko Mlaba hit the stumps.
The 16-year-old Shorna Akter showcased her 𒈔talent by lofting Mlaba over mid-off but soon departed when she was yorked by Ayabonga Khaka at 81 for four.
Kapp ca🦂me back and showed her class with a slower ball that got the big wicket of Nigar Sultana, comprehensively bowled for 30.
Kh♉aka repeated the yorker trick to get rid of Fargana Hoque but as the Proteas began to tire in the field, Bangladesh inched their way up to 113 for six.
South Afri꧙ca's reply was a fraught affair from the ve🐻ry start.
Nine﷽ runs came from the first four overs, Brits was dropped by Sobhana and Wolvaardt somehow surꦜvived a mix-up in the middle.
Laura Wolvaardt hit a toweri꧑ng six over mid-on but Brits only survived thanks to Shamima missing two stump📖ing chances off the spinners as they crawled to 43 for no loss from 10 overs.
The pressure gra🤡dually eased and the much-needed big overs eventually came.
Tazmin Brits peeled back-to-back boundaries off Shorna's leg-spin and Wolvaardt brought up h🍎er half-century from 48 balls by flaying Nahida Akter twice through the off-side.
Brits brought up her sixth T20 International half-century and two balls later, Wolvaardt struck successive boundaries to put her side💫 in the final four🌳.
