South Africa's captain has guided her country to a first World Cup final, three years after losing against Australia at the semi-final stage
South Africa captain Sune Luus admitted her hope that her country’s Women's T20 World Cup semi-final win over England could be "a turning point not just for women's cricket in South Africa but women's sport in South Africa".
After defeats in 11 World Cup semi-finals for South Africa men and women across both formats, Luus guided her side to a six-run victory at Newlands to set up a final on Sunday against Australia.
Tazmin Brits starred with the bat and in the field, top-scoring with 68 before taking four catches as England's response fell just short after a fast start.
"I think we were out of it, in it again, out of it again, in it again," said Luus. "I think it just went in waves. We do have the best bowling attack in the world, and it was against the best batting attack in the world."
Among those bowlers, Shabnim Ismail bowled perhaps the fastest over ever recorded in the women's game, during which she picked up the wickets of Sophia Dunkley and Alice Capsey, while Ayabonga Khaka took 4 for 29, including a telling eighteenth over, which saw Amy Jones, Sophie Ecclestone and Katherine Sciver-Brunt all depart as England's lower order looked for boundaries.
Luus described Khaka as "phenomenal, I think one of the best in the world," while Nadine de Klerk was an understated hero, conceding just 17 runs in a four-over allocation of cutters.
Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail all starred for South Africa (Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
"Every game we play, we keep making history, we keep inspiring a nation," added Luus, who would not even have been in charge of South Africa at this tournament had Dane van Niekerk not been omitted from the Proteas' squad.
"I hope this is really a turning point for not just women's cricket in South Africa but women's sport in South Africa."
Heather Knight echoed those thoughts, even as the losing captain. She was England's last hope but was bowled by Ismail in the final over with 12 runs needed off four balls.
"I took a moment at the end to take it all in and listen to the noise when I was batting out in the middle," she said of the Newlands crowd, which benefited from the people of Cape Town taking some of their Friday afternoon off work.
"Since I started, the amount of investment that has gone into the game, I think it's proved how much benefit you get when you do invest and when you market things properly, and people come out and support."
Knight admitted that her side had gifted South Africa too many runs, particularly after the hosts had started slowly, while England weren't at their best in the field.
South Africa will face Australia in the final on Sunday (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)
"But this game doesn't define us as a group," she added. "We came out here to try and entertain, and I think we've done that in this tournament. There is certainly some talent in there to hopefully come back stronger.
"I think there is a huge amount of talent, and we're starting to build something really nicely. But it's T20 cricket – sometimes when you're playing against a good side, fine margins happen and you lose a game.
"I think we're building really nicely and we're really clear on how we want to go about our T20 cricket. The girls have really embraced it. Obviously, it hasn't come off today, but the future for us going forward is those young players, everyone being really aggressive, really attacking, trying to take the game on."