By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit: Getty Images.
India and South Africa picked up Women’s T20 World Cup wins on Friday, in the battle for the semi-final spots from Group 2.
India beat Bangladesh by five wickets and face Australia, who are top of Group One, in the final fixture at Lord’s on Sunday.
South Africa thrashed winless Netherlands by 88 runs and will need to beat Bangladesh in their final game and hope that India lose, otherwise it will go down to net run-rate.
India are second on six points, ahead of South Africa on net run-rate, with their 2.268 eclipsing the Proteas’ 0.734.
That means that should India upset Australia they will probably make the knockout stage, although if they lose and South Africa defeat Bangladesh, the reigning 50-over World Cup champions will be eliminated.
South Africa needed to close the big gap between their net run-rate and India’s, which they did with a crushing win and they have a golden opportunity to edge even closer when they play Bangladesh, also on Sunday.
Opener Tazmin Brits hammered 114 not out from 69 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes, as the Proteas posted an imposing 209-1.
Brits added 121 for the first wicket with skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who made 45, before Hannah Landheer took the Netherlands’ only wicket. Annerie Dercksen then blitzed an unbeaten 37 from just 16 balls at the death.
Silver Siegers’ bowling figures took plenty of the damage with 0-60 from her four overs while spinner Caroline de Lange was the most economical, finishing with 0-22.
Netherlands put in a spirited performance in reply and managed to survive 20 overs, but fell far short on 120-8 as opener Phebe Molkenboer top-scored with a run-a-ball 41.
Seamer Ayabonga Khaka was the pick of the South Africa bowlers with 3-19, including two in two in the final over but Caroline de Lange survived the hat-trick ball.