Who: Australia vs South Africa
What: First semifinal, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
When: Thursday, October 17, 6pm (14:00 GMT)
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
How to follow: Al Jazeera’s live text coverage begins at 10:30 GMT.
South Africa will have revenge on their minds when they come up against the Australian juggernaut seeking their eighth consecutive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final berth at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
It was Australia, after all, who broke South African hearts when they beat the 2023 World Cup hosts in the final at Cape Town and held aloft the trophy for the sixth time.
South African captain Laura Wolvaardt admitted it won’t be easy on Thursday to shake off the painful memories of that final.
“A lot has happened since then. We have had two wins against them earlier this year,” Wolvaardt said in her prematch news conference on Wednesday.
“It gives a positive energy in the camp knowing that if we play our best cricket, they are beatable.”
Wolvaardt urged her team to be “smart” in their bowling and try to control Australia’s scoring rate to stay in the game.
“It’s easy to get swept away by what Australia have achieved, but if we play a good game of cricket, we have the talent to beat them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Australia are likely to miss their regular captain, Alyssa Healy, when they step out on the field due to the wicketkeeper’s injury in the match against Pakistan.
The defending champions were able to cope without her in an edgy match against India at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Sunday when a largely Indian crowd pushed their team to beat the women in gold and green.
However, Australia pulled back to maintain their unbeaten record, and their star all-rounder Ellyse Perry believes the team will “stick to the same processes” and maintain their emotional consistency in the semifinal against South Africa.
Perry said Healy remains an “important leader” despite being out of action and her participation will be confirmed close to the match.
“The medical staff and the team are going to give her [Healy] every opportunity and possibility of playing tomorrow night,” Perry told reporters on Wednesday.
And then there were four 🏆
Who’s winning the ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup 2024? pic.twitter.com/WorRfdr8Aa
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 16, 2024
Australia vs South Africa: Head-to-head record
Australia have beaten South Africa in nine of their 10 T20 encounters.
South Africa’s only win came in a bilateral T20 series in January.
Australia’s best result at T20 World Cups
Champions: 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023
South Africa’s best result at T20 World Cups
Runners-up: 2023
Form guide: Australia
There’s not much to be said about the form of a team that has lost only one of its 20 matches – across all formats – in 2024.
Last five matches: W W W W W
Form guide: South Africa
South Africa are the only team to have beaten Australia this year, when they bowled out the champions for 149 in a one-day international in February.
The Proteas have lost one game in the tournament and won an away T20 series against Pakistan.
Last five matches: W W L W W
Weather forecast
Heat will continue to play a role in the tournament despite the evening start for the semifinal. The temperature will hover around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), and the forecast for 50 percent humidity will make the conditions hot and sticky for the players.
Toss and pitch condition
Teams winning the toss have chosen to bat first in five of the eight games played in Dubai during this tournament with the hot weather likely impacting the decision.
India’s 172-3 win against Sri Lanka remains the highest total at the venue although it has also produced a number of low-scoring encounters.
Team news: Australia
Australia will sweat on the fitness of Healy, who suffered a foot injury in the game against Pakistan and missed Australia’s last group game against India. The holders, though, have a squad packed with skill, experience and depth.
Squad: Healy (captain, wicketkeeper), Tahlia McGrath, Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney (wicketkeeper), Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham
Team news: South Africa
South Africa are not expected to make any changes to the side that sealed a semifinals spot this week.
Squad: Wolvaardt (captain, wicketkeeper), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder (wicketkeeper), Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wicketkeeper), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
