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SA women’s cricket team advance to semi-finals

Laura Wolvaardt
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South Africa’s women’s cricket team has reserved a place in the semi-finals of the ICC’s Women’ T20 World Cup in Australia. The Proteas defeated Pakistan by 17 runs in Sydney, their third straight win in the tournament. South Africa won the toss and didn’t hesitate to bat first at the Sydney showgrounds.

Pakistan’s opening bowler Diana Baig had other ideas. Aggressive with the new ball, Baig scalped the dangerous Lizelle Lee in her first over for four. By the fifth over the seamer had reduced the Proteas to 17 for two, having also dismissed captain Dane van Niekerk cheaply.

Mignon du Preez and Marizanne Kapp added 37 runs for the third wicket but Nida Dar accounted for Du Preez for 17, leaving the Proteas on 54 for three at the half-way mark.

It was Laura Wolvaardt, in her relatively new role at number five who provided the momentum. Batting for the first time in the tournament, Wolvaardt simply bullied her opponents striking the ball crisply and powerfully.

She smashed five of her last six deliveries for four, recording her maiden half-century in T20 cricket from just 36 deliveries and lifting South Africa’s total to a respectable 136 for six in their 20 overs.

The Proteas produced a much better effort in the field. The bowlers ensured that Pakistan was always behind the required rate and had reduced them to 72 for five by the 15th over.

Aliya Riaz and Iram Javed tried to provide some acceleration in the dying overs but it was too little too late them. The Proteas eventually restricted Pakistan to 119 for five, sealing a 17-run victory.

Wolvaardt earned the player of the match award for her match defining performance with the bat.

“Well I guess number five is a new role for me, but I am really enjoying out there a lot more freedom with the field out yeah. I really enjoyed it, I think this is definitely in the big picture of things the most valuable contribution I have ever made to this team I just really honoured to here today,” says Wolvaardt.

The victory sees South Africa join India, who is also still unbeaten in the tournament, in the last four.

“In just so excited this tournament so far has just been amazing that every player has chipped in and it’s been a real team performance the last few games and I am really proud,” says Wolvaardt.

South Africa’s final match in Group B is a night game against the West Indies in Sydney on Tuesday morning.

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