Australia vs South Africa
Dubai, 6pm native time
Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham, Heather Graham, Tayla Vlaeminck (dominated out)
South Africa squad: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Seshnie Naidu, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
Event type information: Australia are unbeaten on this T20 World Cup, successful all 4 of their video games thus far. Of their final group match, they beat India in a high-octane conflict by 9 runs. South Africa have a 3-1 document having misplaced their second match of the event to England.
Information transient: Australia had been with out captain Alyssa Healy for his or her match in opposition to India. She arrived on the sport in Sharjah on crutches having sustained a foot damage whereas batting on 37 in opposition to Pakistan on Friday. Tahlia McGrath led the facet in her absence, with Ellyse Perry deputising and Beth Mooney preserving wicket.
“Because it stands, it is the identical factor for Midgie [Healy],” Perry stated on the eve of the semi-final. “The medical workers and the staff are going to present her each alternative and chance of enjoying tomorrow evening however I do not suppose something’s modified in that respect. We’ll simply should see within the subsequent 24 hours.”
Quick bowler Tayla Vlaeminck, who damage her shoulder on her T20 World Cup return in opposition to Pakistan, was dominated out of the event with Heather Graham named her alternative. Grace Harris and Darcie Brown got here into the enjoying XI as replacements for the India sport.
South Africa should not have damage considerations and are unlikely to make adjustments to their successful mixture. Their document in opposition to Australia will not be nice, having received only one out of the ten T20Is they’ve performed one another. Their first-ever win got here in Canberra in January this 12 months in a bilateral collection. South Africa haven’t received a single World Cup sport in opposition to Australia in both format. Thursday shall be a rematch of the 2023 T20 World Cup last, by which South Africa suffered a heartbreaking loss in entrance of their house crowd in Cape City.
South Africa have performed three matches in Dubai this event whereas Australia have performed only one match – in opposition to Pakistan – on the venue. The common first-innings rating is 126, with India posting the best whole of 172 in opposition to Sri Lanka final Wednesday.
Participant to look at: Skilled pacer Megan Schutt’s miserly spells have been essential to all 4 of Australia’s wins. She began the event with 3 for 12 in opposition to Sri Lanka on a spin-friendly observe, completed with beautiful figures of three for 3 in opposition to New Zealand and adopted it up with 1 for 7 in her three overs in opposition to Pakistan in Dubai. In opposition to India, she gave away 24 runs in her first three overs however returned to show the sport on its head within the seventeenth over by conceding only one run, leaving India with 40 to get off 18 balls.
Tazmin Brits’ stable begins have been among the many greatest positives for South Africa. After a 57 not out to start out the competitors, she crossed the 40-run mark in every of her final two matches. In opposition to Bangladesh, on a sluggish observe, she performed a affected person innings of 42 off 41 balls to assist South Africa to a snug win. She additionally performed an essential hand in South Africa’s first and solely T20I win in opposition to Australia earlier this 12 months, scoring a fiery 41 off 28 with eight fours in a chase of 143.
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