T20 World Cup: South Africa eliminates Australia in semi-final

Australia’s acting captain says a shock semi-final loss to South Africa is “hard to take”, with their World Cup reign brought to an end.

Australia’s six-year stranglehold on the T20 World Cup has lifted after South Africa comprehensively beat the three-time defending champions in a semi-final boilover.

The Proteas claimed only their second ever victory over Australia as they restricted the tournament favourites to 4-134 before Anneke Bosch (74 not out) led a clinical chase to secure an eight-wicket win with 16 balls to spare.

Australia had held off India without Alyssa Healy, but the captain’s absence at the top of the order was felt keenly in the pressure of a knockout game.

Their innings failed to get out of first gear until Ellyse Perry (31 off 23) and Phoebe Litchfield (16 off 9) took 56 from the final six overs to scrape together what acting skipper Tahlia McGrath thought was a “defendable target”.

Annabel Sutherland (2-26) struck at the start of the fifth over to leave South Africa 1-25, but Laura Wolvaardt (42 off 37) and Bosch, whose 74 was a career-high knock, piled on 96 runs together at well above the required run rate.

Player of the match Anneke Bosch (left) and Chloe Tryon celebrate after South Africa beat Australia for just the second time to reach the T20 World Cup final. Picture: Giuseppe Cacacae / AFP

“We were probably a few short with the bat, but I still thought we were in the game if we bowled well enough,” McGrath said after the loss.

“We were just slightly off all-round, and came up against a team who executed everything perfectly well.

“In tournament play, you can’t afford to be off the mark at all. It’s disappointing, it’s hard to take, but we’ll get around each other and regroup. There’s still plenty of cricket left on the calendar.”

Beth Mooney (44 off 42) and McGrath (27 off 33) struggled to tick the scoring along after South Africa won the toss and took advantage of the better bowling conditions early.

Coach Shelley Nitschke defended not elevating Litchfield up the order to combat the Proteas’ two left-arm spinners.

“I guess we got (Litchfield) in as soon as we could. She did a fantastic job at the back end … it’s all good in hindsight (to say that),” Nitschke told reporters.

Annabel Sutherland (2-26) was the only Australian bowler to claim wickets as South Africa cruised home with 16 balls to spare to eliminate the tournament favourites. Picture: Pankaj Nangia / Getty Images

“It didn’t come off for us tonight, but that’s the game, unfortunately. You just have to take the time to keep everything in perspective.

“It’s going to hurt – it’s going to hurt for a while. But we need to use this, and Phoebs will be no different. It’s just about keeping our feet on the ground, and maintaining a perspective and moving forward.”

After winning three consecutive T20 World Cups along with the 2022 ODI title, Australia’s white-ball record finally earnt its first blemish in six years.

They joined second and third-ranked sides India and England in departing as South Africa prepared to face the winner of New Zealand and the West Indies in the final on Sunday.

It was the first time Australia has missed a T20 World Cup final since the inaugural event in 2009.

The women’s side has a six-week break before the home summer kicks off with a three-match ODI series against India beginning on December 5 in Brisbane.

Originally published as T20 World Cup: South Africa eliminates Australia in semi-final