ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, ENG vs SA: A great match saw England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt take her team home by hitting the winning runs against South Africa whilst chasing 124 with four balls remaining. Though Maia Bouchier struggled at the very start and got dismissed by Kapp in powerplay, not much hope seemed left when Alice Capsey came out and gave some hope with a short effective inning hitting three boundaries before getting dismissed from the end of de Klerk.
England take control of Group B with a superb win ✨
— ICC (@ICC) October 7, 2024
📝➡️ https://t.co/uqxlh09NzA#ENGvSA #T20WorldCup #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/SqqaFgCEEM
Sciver-Brunt’s presence proved to be turning the point as she combined with Danielle Wyatt-Hodge in coming together for a healthy third-wicket partnership of 64 runs. And even though Wyatt-Hodge was dropped twice before Mlaba dismissed her, her calmness at the crease ensured England saw it through to the finish.
Sophie Ecclestone, the Player of the Match, spoke well of her team’s approach to the conditions while taking two significant wickets herself. “It’s quite nice to break records. Keeping it simple and bowling straight always pays off,” she said, showing some of the team’s talent.
Sophie Ecclestone's two big wickets derailed South Africa's innings in Sharjah 👏
— ICC (@ICC) October 7, 2024
She's the @aramco POTM winner 🏅 #T20WorldCup | #WhateverItTakes pic.twitter.com/GQyJcGian6
It also marked a record for England in winning the highest successful run chase in Women’s T20Is at Sharjah, with an impressive run of 111 left by Sri Lanka to beat Pakistan in 2015.
Most Wins As Captain In Women’s T20 Internationals
Among the 34 captains who have led in at least 35 Women’s T20Is, only Meg Lanning has a better win-loss ratio than Heather Knight:
Meg Lanning – 76 wins (W/L ratio: 4.00)
Harmanpreet Kaur – 70 wins (W/L ratio: 1.56)
Charlotte Edwards – 68 wins (W/L ratio: 2.83)
Heather Knight – 68 wins (W/L ratio: 3.58)
Chamari Athapaththu – 42 wins (W/L ratio: 0.81)
Laura Delany – 42 wins (W/L ratio: 1.24)
England produced a crucial win for themselves: it was their second victory in two matches that elevated them to the top of the Group B points table. They bowled 16 overs of spin very effectively, to keep the South Africans at 124 which England chased comfortably, though the match went up to the final over.
South Africa could not play to their potential on the field, and their spinners were not accurate as well on the final day of the match. They have been asked to develop further before meeting West Indies, which will be a must-match for them. Well, that’s all from this one-day encounter.
Join us tomorrow for the Australia-New Zealand Group A match between two unbeaten teams.
Also Read: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: Australia Aims For Perfection Against Confident New Zealand
