South Africa: The Proteas Women beat Australia by 5 wickets to advance the final of the 2025 ICC Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup. The team will next face India in the Finals.
SA team chased a paltry of 106 and overhauled the target with 11 balls to spare. Top runs were scored by opener Jemma Botha with 37 off 24 balls while skipper Kayla Reyneke strucked a run-a-ball 26.
The left-arm spinner Ashleigh Van Wyk spun a web around the Australians with the ball and finished the figures of four for 17 in three overs.
Only three batters scored double-digit numbers as Australia was restricted to 105 for eight in 20 overs after electing to bat. It was Ella Briscoe’s brisk cameo of 27 off 17 balls that helped the Australian team breach the 100-run mark, with the Aussies struggling at 62 for five at around the 15-over mark.
Though SA Proteas Women did lose three wickets for 56 runs, the 38-run fourth wicket partnership between Reyneke and Kraba Meso sealed the deal.
However, South African cricket has enjoyed a steady rise in international cricket in recent times. The senior women’s and men’s teams reached the final of the T20 World Cup last year in 2024.
While the Temba Bavuma led Test team qualified for the summit clash of the World Test Championship (WTC) that is to be held later this year in 2025.
Finalists of the previous edition in 2023 – India and England, will face off in the second semi-final at the same venue later in the day. The final match of South Africa with India will be held on Sunday, Feb 01, 2025 at Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
The cricket match conducted in Kuala Lumpur observed the exciting expression of the audience sitting on bleachers in the stadium. The great performance by the South African Proteas Women U-19 team amazed all and made their maiden entry to the World Cup Finals of 2025.