In a commanding performance, South Africa defeated Bangladesh by seven wickets in Match 16 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. The match, played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday (October 12) saw Tazmin Brits anchor the South African chase, earning her the Player of the Match award for her crucial knock of 42 runs off 41 balls. Chasing a modest target of 107 set by Bangladesh, South Africa reached the mark comfortably in 17.2 overs with 16 balls to spare.

Bangladesh struggles to set a defendable total

After winning the toss, Bangladesh opted to bat first but struggled to build momentum throughout their innings. Early wickets hindered their progress as Dilara Akter was dismissed for a duck in the very first over. Shathi Rani (19 off 30) and Sobhana Mostary (38 off 43) tried to rebuild but were unable to accelerate the scoring rate. Skipper Nigar Sultana played a steady hand with an unbeaten 32 off 38, but the lack of boundaries and consistent pressure from the South African bowlers restricted Bangladesh to just 106/3 in their 20 overs. Marizanne Kapp and Nonkululeko Mlaba were particularly impressive, conceding only 10 and 11 runs, respectively, in their four-over spells.

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Tazmin Brits leads the chase for South Africa

South Africa’s chase got off to a solid start despite the early loss of captain Laura Wolvaardt, who was stumped for just 7. Brits, however, held her ground, pacing her innings well with timely boundaries. Alongside Anneke Bosch (25 off 25), Brits added 53 runs for the second wicket, stabilizing the chase. Brits’ calculated approach ensured that the asking rate never became an issue for South Africa. Even after her dismissal in the 14th over, the target was well within reach, with South Africa needing just 26 runs from the last six overs.

Strong finish from Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon

Kapp (13* off 13) and Chloe Tryon (14* off 13) finished the chase comfortably, steering South Africa to victory with a steady partnership. Their composed batting helped South Africa cross the finish line in the 18th over, securing an important win in the group stage. The partnership ensured no further hiccups in the chase, with both batters rotating the strike effectively and picking up the occasional boundary to ease the pressure.

South Africa defeated Bangladesh by 7 wickets 🏏#women #cricket #BANvSA #T20WorldCup #CricketTwitter #WomenCricket pic.twitter.com/G1AMfCpl0n

— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) October 12, 2024

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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