EnglandHopes of reaching the Women’s T20 World Cup final were dashed in a narrow six-round defeat. South Africa in Cape Town.
England lost a late rook rush in their 165 chase for the win, down from 131 to three-for-140, with three of them falling in the critical 18th of the match.
South Africa made its own history as the first Proteas side to reach the men’s or women’s World Cup final.
Ayabonga Khaka changed the rules of the game, taking wickets from Amy Jones, Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Sciver-Brunt in quick succession.
England had to lament the missed opportunities by starting their chase in a dominant way, putting more than 50 in the power play and scoring more than 10 goals.
However, unlike South Africa, which lost its first rook in the 14th round and just four in total, England rooks rolled towards the end, decisively changing the momentum in favor of the hosts.
England needed 13 to reach the final, but South Africa’s victory was almost certain. Heather Knight He bowled with three balls remaining for 31.
Shabnim Ismail made the history of Sune Luus’ side South Africa as he finished the final of the match with three points on 27.
England dominated throughout the tournament, including by becoming the first women’s team to score more than 200 goals in a T20 World Cup kick-off in their last group game against Pakistan, but weren’t quite as cohesive in the semi-finals.
Knight turned to five bowling options early on as England sought to disrupt their opening partnership despite a slow start from Laura Wolvaardt and Compensation Brits.
As England looked tired on the pitch, both opening players scored half a century (Wolvaardt 53, Brits 68), allowing unusually wrong pitches to enter their game.
Katherine Sciver-Brunt took the occasional disappointment out of her teammates on the pitch, but Sophie Ecclestone’s 19th-place double goal stalled South Africa’s momentum.
But a costly over 18 final from Katherine Sciver-Brunt left England and required 165 and they struggled to find the necessary bounds with the bat.
England started their chase with an aggressive batting style that summed up their approach throughout the tournament, with 11 in the first top and 10 in the second.
But Sophia Dunkley was the first to drop with 28 from 16 balls, with the Brits catching a stunning one-handed dive at midwicket to throw the game away. Alice Capsey for a duck and give Ismail his second rook.
England were ahead of the running rate and Danni Wyatt and Nat Sciver-Brunt He seemed to form a partnership, similar to the match against Pakistan, until the opening hit 34 points and left his side at 85 three.
Knight and Nat Sciver-Brunt scored 47 points for the fourth wicket and attempted to secure the hits, but the latter were ejected from 34 balls by 40 balls to ignite the late collapse.
South Africa maintained their nerves and streak with an attacking bowling approach and clever use of the slower ball that caused England to lose four goals and ultimately the game for just 21 runs.