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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a favourable result in the final group stage match between West Indies and England on Monday, 14 October 2024, South Africa secured their passage to the semifinal of the T2o Women’s World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Indies thrashed England by six wickets with 12 balls remaining which guaranteed South Africa a spot in the final, but because of the magnitude of the victory, West Indies skipped ahead of both England and South Africa on net run rate.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England are therefore headed home despite three convincing victories in four matches during the group stage. However, this sets up a tasty rematch of last year’s T20 Women’s World Cup final between South Africa and Australia in the semifinal tomorrow.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Indies, meanwhile, will face New Zealand — who have been the least convincing side during the group stages to have made the semis — in the second semifinal on Friday.</span>\r\n<h4><b>A formidable task</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Proteas have one of the toughest challenges in sport ahead of them: beating Australia in a T20 Women’s World Cup match, a task they have yet to complete.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across the eight editions of the T20 World Cup, the Aussies have lifted the trophy in six, having been beaten in the semifinals by eventual champions England in the inaugural tournament in 2009, and finishing as runners-up to West Indies in 2016.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On current form, Australia are on a 17-match winning streak across all formats.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a sliver of good news in that for South Africa, as they are the last team to beat the formidable foes, in February in a one-day international match in Tasmania.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Proteas Women also recorded their first T20 victory over the Aussies this year, a six-wicket win over the hosts in Canberra, a week prior to their ODI win.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Batting intent</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt (58 not out off 53 balls) and fellow opener Tazmin Brits (41 off 28) led the charge on that occasion, and the teams’ chances of success on Thursday once again lie heavily on the shoulders of the openers.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the conclusion of the group stage matches, Brits leads the batting charts with 155 runs in four innings at an average just a smidge over 50. Wolvaardt, meanwhile, is in fourth position with 148 runs at an average of just below 50.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s rate of scoring, though, has been a problem throughout the tournament. Outside of the Bangladeshi pair of Sobhana Mostary and Nigar Sultana, Brits (105.44) has the lowest strike rate among the top 10 run scorers at the 2024 T20 Women’s World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2411059\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2275663-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1795\" /> <em>Proteas Women captain Laura Wolvaardt plays a shot against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First drop Anneke Bosch, meanwhile, has a strike rate of 84.37, having particularly struggled against the spin-friendly pitches at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Fortunately for Bosch, South Africa’s semifinal will take place at the Dubai International Stadium where the ball has come on to the bat slightly better.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa have the batting depth to be more aggressive without the fear of early wickets derailing their chances of notching up a good score. All-rounder Nadine de Klerk, for example, has only had one chance to bat this tournament, having only faced one ball.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Bowling success</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It’s on the bowling front that South Africa have been incredible. Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba is the second leading wicket taker in the tournament, with eight scalps in four matches at an incredible economy rate of 4.62.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ace all-rounder Marizanne Kapp (3.78) has the second best economy rate at the World Cup, with her away swingers with the new ball proving near impossible to get bat on to.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her new-ball partner, the always consistent Ayabonga Khaka, has only picked up one scalp but her economy rate is a paltry 4.87 per over, which is particularly impressive given that she often bowls two overs at the death.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will be on a mission to turn around their T20 World Cup fortunes against Australia and secure their second T20 World Cup final spot in as many years. </span><b>DM</b>",
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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a favourable result in the final group stage match between West Indies and England on Monday, 14 October 2024, South Africa secured their passage to the semifinal of the T2o Women’s World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Indies thrashed England by six wickets with 12 balls remaining which guaranteed South Africa a spot in the final, but because of the magnitude of the victory, West Indies skipped ahead of both England and South Africa on net run rate.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England are therefore headed home despite three convincing victories in four matches during the group stage. However, this sets up a tasty rematch of last year’s T20 Women’s World Cup final between South Africa and Australia in the semifinal tomorrow.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">West Indies, meanwhile, will face New Zealand — who have been the least convincing side during the group stages to have made the semis — in the second semifinal on Friday.</span>\r\n<h4><b>A formidable task</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Proteas have one of the toughest challenges in sport ahead of them: beating Australia in a T20 Women’s World Cup match, a task they have yet to complete.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Across the eight editions of the T20 World Cup, the Aussies have lifted the trophy in six, having been beaten in the semifinals by eventual champions England in the inaugural tournament in 2009, and finishing as runners-up to West Indies in 2016.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On current form, Australia are on a 17-match winning streak across all formats.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a sliver of good news in that for South Africa, as they are the last team to beat the formidable foes, in February in a one-day international match in Tasmania.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Proteas Women also recorded their first T20 victory over the Aussies this year, a six-wicket win over the hosts in Canberra, a week prior to their ODI win.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Batting intent</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt (58 not out off 53 balls) and fellow opener Tazmin Brits (41 off 28) led the charge on that occasion, and the teams’ chances of success on Thursday once again lie heavily on the shoulders of the openers.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the conclusion of the group stage matches, Brits leads the batting charts with 155 runs in four innings at an average just a smidge over 50. Wolvaardt, meanwhile, is in fourth position with 148 runs at an average of just below 50.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa’s rate of scoring, though, has been a problem throughout the tournament. Outside of the Bangladeshi pair of Sobhana Mostary and Nigar Sultana, Brits (105.44) has the lowest strike rate among the top 10 run scorers at the 2024 T20 Women’s World Cup.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2411059\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"2560\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2411059\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/TL_2275663-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1795\" /> <em>Proteas Women captain Laura Wolvaardt plays a shot against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First drop Anneke Bosch, meanwhile, has a strike rate of 84.37, having particularly struggled against the spin-friendly pitches at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Fortunately for Bosch, South Africa’s semifinal will take place at the Dubai International Stadium where the ball has come on to the bat slightly better.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa have the batting depth to be more aggressive without the fear of early wickets derailing their chances of notching up a good score. All-rounder Nadine de Klerk, for example, has only had one chance to bat this tournament, having only faced one ball.</span>\r\n<h4><b>Bowling success</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It’s on the bowling front that South Africa have been incredible. Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba is the second leading wicket taker in the tournament, with eight scalps in four matches at an incredible economy rate of 4.62.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ace all-rounder Marizanne Kapp (3.78) has the second best economy rate at the World Cup, with her away swingers with the new ball proving near impossible to get bat on to.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Her new-ball partner, the always consistent Ayabonga Khaka, has only picked up one scalp but her economy rate is a paltry 4.87 per over, which is particularly impressive given that she often bowls two overs at the death.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">South Africa will be on a mission to turn around their T20 World Cup fortunes against Australia and secure their second T20 World Cup final spot in as many years. </span><b>DM</b>",
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Proteas Women captain Laura Wolvaardt plays a shot against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. (Photo: Pankaj Nangia / Gallo Images)