By Utathya Nag.
The South African cricket team registered its first win of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 after brushing aside Pakistan by two wickets at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday.
Having reduced world No. 8 Pakistan to 50/8, fifth-ranked South Africa squandered a dominant position, allowing their opponents to recover through Fatima Sana’s fighting half-century as Pakistan finished on 126/9 in their 20 overs.
Despite losing regular wickets, the South African women’s cricket team completed the tricky chase in the end thanks to Annerie Dercksen’s 35-ball 52 and a handy 37 off 28 balls by Nadine de Klerk.
After losing to Australia in their tournament opener at Old Trafford last week, the victory helped the Proteas Women register their first points on the table and rise to the third position in Group 1.
India and Australia currently lead the group with four points each.
After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat, Marizanne Kapp gave the Proteas the best start possible as she trapped Muneeba Ali with the very first ball before concluding the first over of the match by rocking Gull Feroza’s stumps.
Kapp returned to the attack in the third over and caught Ayesha Zafar leg before this time. Ayabonga Khaka dismissed Natalia Pervaiz in the very next over as Pakistan were left reeling at 14/3.
A couple of run-outs didn’t help the Asian side’s cause either as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were reduced to 50/8 at one stage.
Staring down the barrel, Pakistan found a saviour in skipper Fatima Sana, who put together a valiant 71-run partnership with Tuba Hassan for the ninth wicket to lead her side to a somewhat respectable total of 126/9 in 20 overs.
Sana remained unbeaten on 55 from 38 balls.
Hassan (23) was run out in the final over, denying the pair the record for the highest ninth wicket partnership in women’s T20I cricket by just five runs.
The duo, however, comprehensively broke the record for the highest partnership for the penultimate wicket at the Women’s T20 World Cups which previously stood at 39 – set by Sri Lanka’s Malki Madara and Nilakshika Silva against England.
Kapp was the pick of the bowlers from the Proteas camp with figures of 3/23.
Sana also led the lines for Pakistan with the ball, dismissing Proteas opener Sune Luus to hand her team an early breakthrough.
Annerie Dercksen, however, didn’t allow the Pakistani bowlers to build on the early success as she went on the offensive from the get-go with skipper Laura Wolvaardt holding up the other end.
Hassan broke the 42-run partnership in the seventh over by sending back Wolvaardt for eight but Dercksen continued to play her shots and brought up her second T20 fifty in just 50 balls.
The momentum, however, stalled as the Proteas lost Kapp (10) and Dercksen within just six balls, suddenly finding themselves at 76/4 from a rather comfortable position.
Sadia Iqbal sent back both Chloe Tryon and Kayla Reyneke cheaply but Nadine de Klerk played the anchor to see off the tricky chase eventually.
Fatima Sana picked up two wickets in the 17th over, including De Klerk’s, to create some late drama.
South Africa’s next Women’s T20 World Cup match will be against India at Old Trafford on Sunday.
SA-W vs PAK-W, Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 brief scores: Pakistan Women 126/9 in 20 overs (Fatima Sana 55 not out; Marizanne Kapp 3/23) lost to South Africa Women 127/8 in 16.5 overs (Annerie Dercksen 52; Fatima Sana 3/16) by two wickets.