South Africa qualify for T20 World Cup semi-finals with win over Pakistan

Dane van Niekerk’s side were indebted to Laura Wolvaardt, who made an unbeaten 53 in her first innings of the tournament as the Proteas recovered from a sluggish start on a slow pitch

• Scorecard

South Africa followed India in qualifying for the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup after beating Pakistan by 17 runs in Sydney.

Dane van Niekerk’s side were indebted to Laura Wolvaardt, who made an unbeaten 53 in her first innings of the tournament as the Proteas recovered from a sluggish start to post a total that, on a slow surface, proved to be plenty.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, the unbeaten South Africans lost Lizelle Lee, a century-maker against Thailand, in the first over, caught behind off the bowling of the impressive Diana Baig.

Baig soon added a second, bowling van Niekerk, before Nida Dar ended a developing partnership between Marizanne Kapp and Mignon du Preez by bowling the latter. Kapp, who missed her team’s win over Thailand through illness, made a run-a-ball 31 before her time at the crease was brought to an end by Syeda Aroob Shah, the teenage leg-spinner.

At the other end, Wolvaardt went about her work with far more fluency than any of her colleagues; she hit eight fours in her 36-ball innings, while cameos from Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon dragged the score to 136 for six.

In reply, it always looked a tall order for Pakistan, who lost their captain Bismah Maroof to a fractured finger against England on Friday. Once Muneeba Ali was caught by Ayabonga Khaka off the bowling of Shabnim Ismail and Umaima Sohail was run out four balls later, the lack of batting depth in Javeria Khan’s side became evident.

Khan herself made 31 but became the second player to be run out, shortly after Dar had been trapped in front by van Niekerk cheaply. Aliya Riaz and Iram Javed rallied in the final few overs as Pakistan got closer than it looked as though they might at one stage.

It is just the second time that South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals of the competition in seven attempts.

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