SA-W vs AUS-W HIGHLIGHTS: Australia Women WIN by 6 wickets, Defending Champions win 4 games on TROT

SA-W vs AUS-W HIGHLIGHTS: Women’s T20 World Cup – Australia Women WIN by 6 wickets – Australia Women registered a fine 6 wicket win against SouthAfrica by 6 wickets. With this victory, the defending champions now have 4 wins on a trot in the competition. On the other hand, South Africa remain 3rd on the points table. Set to chase 125, Tahlia McGrath slammed a powerful fifty to guide her team to victory. Follow Women T20 WC LIVE Updates on Insidesport.IN

SA-W vs AUS-W HIGHLIGHTS: Australia Women WIN by 6 wickets, Defending Champions win 4 games on TROT – Check Women T20 WC HIGHLIGHTS

Women T20 WC Points table: Australia REMAIN on TOP in Group A, Pakistan WIN 1st game as India stay 2nd in Group B – Check latest Standings and Rankings: Follow Women’s T20 World Cup LIVE Updates

The win for Australia ensures they will top Group 1 and ease through to the semi-finals of the tournament with a perfect record. And victory was wrapped up by their powerful middle order, with Tahlia McGrath smashing a brilliant 57 from 33 balls, Ash Gardner finishing unbeaten on 28* and Grace Harris hitting the winning runs to the boundary off the first ball she faced.

Needing wickets, the Proteas front-loaded their attack in the Powerplay in search of early breakthroughs, but it took until the fifth over for a wicket to fall. Ellyse Perry was the batter dismissed, caught by Chloe Tryon off Marizanne Kapp for 11 (8). And Meg Lanning was soon making the trudge back from the middle, clean bowled by the lively Nonkululeko Mlaba for 1.

Australia were still confident of reaching the target, even when a fizzer of a delivery from Kapp removed Beth Mooney for 20. And their confidence proved well-placed, as the world’s top-ranked T20I batter struck a quickfire half-century in a partnership with Gardner worth 81 runs to put Australia on the brink of victory.

SA-W vs AUS-W HIGHLIGHTS: Australia Women WIN by 6 wickets, Defending Champions win 4 games on TROT – Check Women T20 WC HIGHLIGHTS

Four wins from four!

Australia have eased to a comfortable win over South Africa.

📝: https://t.co/4OTjtl4gEZ #SAvAUS | #T20WorldCup | #TurnItUp pic.twitter.com/9FPHOGoN0y

— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 18, 2023

The winning moment came with three-and-a-half overs remaining, as Australia flexed their muscles ahead of the knockout stages. Earlier, wickets tumbled through the second half of the first innings as Australia bounced back after a strong start from South Africa to restrict them to 124/6.

It was the defending champions Australia who won the toss and opted to bowl first at St George’s Park. But the classy combination of Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits made it through the Powerplay unscathed and brought up the fifty-run partnership in the ninth over.

Just when she was looking to accelerate after a watchful start, Wolvaardt was caught by Beth Mooney off Ellyse Perry to head back to the dugout for 19 from 28, sparking a collapse. Marizanne Kapp departed without scoring, Brits was denied a half-century when she fell for 45 from 36, and the dangerous Chloe Tryon fell cheaply as South Africa slipped to 77/4.

SA-W vs AUS-W HIGHLIGHTS: Australia Women WIN by 6 wickets, Defending Champions win 4 games on TROT – Check Women T20 WC HIGHLIGHTS

Luus stuck around to score 20 (24 balls), but late runs were hard to come by as South Africa finished on 124/6, with Nadine de Klerk unbeaten on 14* and Sinalo Jafta new at the crease after Luus fell in the final over. It was a combined bowling effort from Australia, with seven bowlers used and five wicket-takers. Georgia Wareham’s 2/18 from three were the pick of the figures.

Australia Women (Playing XI): Beth Mooney(w), Ellyse Perry, Meg Lanning(c), Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Alana King, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

South Africa Women (Playing XI): Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus(c), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Delmi Tucker, Sinalo Jafta(w), Shabnim Ismail, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba