DOT Desk: South Africa reached the semi-finals of their home Women’s Twenty20 World Cup with a 10-wicket win over Bangladesh at Newlands, reports Dhaka Trubine.
The Proteas made heavy weather of chasing down a modest target of 114 set by Bangladesh, powered by their outstanding captain Nigar Sultana Joty’s 30.
But chase it down they did, with 13 balls to spare, as Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits chiselled out their team’s first half-centuries of the tournament when it mattered most.
It means Sune Luus’ side are the first South African team – male or female, junior or senior – to reach the final four of a major ICC event staged on their soil.
They face an unbeaten and dangerous England team in Friday’s semi-final in Cape Town.
With Bangladesh opting to bat, Wolvaardt grassed a regulation chance in the second over to hint at that home ground pressure, Shamima Sultana adding salt to the wounds with a four two balls later.
But the Proteas still struck twice in the powerplay, Murshida Khatun chipping Marizanne Kapp to mid-on for a six-ball duck and Shamima then skying Shabnim Ismail to midwicket. From 22 for two, Joty and Sobhana Mostary carefully rebuilt and rotated strike nicely without peppering the boundary. Sobhana was dropped by Brits on 25 but the third-wicket stand was snapped at 33 when she missed a slog sweep across the line and Nonkululeko Mlaba hit the stumps.