South Africa claim crucial top spot as West Indies washout sets up semi-final date with Australia

Any potential rain-off against the reigning champions would see Dane van Niekerk’s side progress to Sunday’s final by virtue of their position as group winners

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South Africa will face Australia in Thursday’s second semi-final after topping Group B ahead of England as their final group fixture against West Indies was abandoned due to rain.

With poor weather forecast for the day of the semi-finals and no reserve day scheduled, the result – a point each – could prove vital, having nudged the Proteas ahead of England, who they beat in their first game of the competition but whose net-run-rate was greater.

Any potential washout against reigning champions Australia, who finished second in their pool, would see Dane van Niekerk’s side progress to Sunday’s final by virtue of their position as group winners.

Heather Knight’s side, meanwhile, go through to the final four as runners-up and will meet Group A winners India at the SCG in the first semi-final.

For West Indies, it represents a quiet finish to a disappointing tournament, which sees the 2016 winners fail to get out of their group for the first time since the inaugural Women’s World T20 in 2009.

“I couldn't have asked for better,” van Niekerk said after her team’s place at the top of the group was confirmed. “Our first goal was to get to the semi-final and we got there with a game to spare.

“Generally in these tournaments, we've lost at crucial times, whereas in this tournament, whenever we've been down we've got up again. It's nice that everything is slowly but surely coming together.

“We're not used to the bigger-stage games, but hopefully everything comes together for us.”