ICC Women's T20 WC: South Africa keep semis chances alive with huge win over Scotland

Dubai [UAE], October 9 (ANI): South Africa demolished Scotland with a show of power at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024, running out 80-run winners in a one-sided Group B match on Wednesday, with all-rounder Marizanne Kapp's fine knock and a three-fer by Nonkululeko Mlaba being the highlights.
South Africa bounced back from defeat to England with a huge win over Scotland to keep their hopes of reaching the T20 World Cup semi-finals very much alive.
South Africa's big-name batters set up a big score against Scotland in Dubai, with the Proteas reaching 166/5 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the biggest total of the tournament so far.
And Scotland never looked like getting close to their daunting target, as South Africa's bowlers turned up the heat, with Nonkululeko Mlaba returning the pick of the figures with 3/12 from her four overs. They were skittled out for 86 runs in 17.5 overs.
It was openers Laura Wolvaardt (40 in 27 balls, with five fours and a six) and Tazmin Brits (43 in 35 balls, with six fours) who set the tone for the Proteas with a 64-run partnership, before Marizanne Kapp lit up the game with a blistering 43 from just 24 deliveries, with six fours.
Scotland put in a brave effort with the ball and in the field, not letting their heads drop in the face of a world-class batting assault, as Olivia Bell, Kathryn Bryce, Katherine Fraser, Rachel Slater and Darcey Carter all picked up a wicket each.
But the T20 World Cup debutants were left with far too big a task with the bat, slipping to their third defeat of the tournament.
Having won the toss and chosen to bat first, South Africa's openers made a fast start in their first-ever international meeting with Scotland in Dubai.
Laura Wolvaardt took advantage of being dropped early as she led the charge, setting the platform for a huge score alongside fellow opener Tazmin Brits.
The Proteas racked up 60/0 in the powerplay, the highest by any team at the tournament so far, having reached 50 runs in fewer deliveries than any team.
Scotland stemmed the flow of runs when Olivia Bell held on to a chance off Katherine Fraser to end Wolvaardt's knock of 40.
And a second wicket fell off Darcey Carter's first ball as she had Anneke Bosch (11) caught at mid-off, but with 89 already on the board with the best part of nine overs remaining, South Africa's top order had put them in a dominant position. And the arrival of Marizanne Kapp only accelerated the momentum.
Tazmin Brits missed out on a half-century when she holed out on 43, looking to hit Bell over the long-off boundary.
But Kapp was in scintillating form as she found the rope with impressive frequency, hitting six boundaries in her sparkling 43 before attempting one shot too many and departing to Bryce as Carter, who was excellent in the field throughout, held on to a good catch.
Chloe Tryon's disappointing form with the bat continued as she fell cheaply towards the death, and Annerie Dercksen could only manage 1* from 4 deliveries in the final over, but Sune Luus (18*) boosted the score as South Africa reached the highest total of the tournament, finishing on 166/5.
Ayabonga Khaka (1/8 from 3 overs) removed Saskia Horley (6) and Chloe Tryon picked up both of the Bryce sisters caught and bowled, dismissing Sarah Bryce for 5 and Kathryn Bryce for 7 to leave Scotland needing a miracle from their middle order.
And that miracle was not forthcoming as the match fizzled out as a contest.
Nadine de Klerk struck to remove Priyanaz Chatterji (4), and the outstanding Nonkululeko Mlaba showed her class, taking two in two balls to end Ailsa Lister's brave resistance (12) and send Darcey Carter (0) packing, cleaning up both batters.
The Scotland tail made South Africa wait for their win, with Katherine Fraser top-scoring with 14.
But victory was sealed with 2.1 overs remaining when De Klerk dismissed Abtaha Maqsood, with Scotland all out for 86, still 80 runs behind.
Mlaba's 3/12 were the pick of the figures, with Tryon taking 2/22 and De Klerk 2/15.
The result moves South Africa to the top of Group B, two points clear of West Indies and ahead of England on net run rate, albeit having played a match more than both teams.
That 80-run margin of victory also means that the Proteas have a superior NRR to West Indies and vastly superior to Bangladesh, which could yet prove critical in the final Group B shake-up.
Scotland's third defeat means that the tournament's lowest-ranked side are also the first team to be mathematically ruled out of semi-final contention. They will end their tournament against England on Sunday. (ANI)