Australia vs South Africa: T20 World Cup Showdown in Dubai

Match details:  

Dubai, 6pm local 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 ruled 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

Tournament Form:  

Australia enters the semi-finals undefeated, having won all four of their matches in this T20 World Cup. They edged out India in a thrilling encounter by nine runs in their last group-stage match. South Africa, with a 3-1 record, only lost to England in their second game of the tournament.

News Brief:  

Australia were without captain Alyssa Healy during their match against India due to a foot injury she sustained while batting against Pakistan. Tahlia McGrath took over as captain for that match, with Ellyse Perry stepping in as vice-captain and Beth Mooney taking on wicketkeeping duties. Healy, still recovering, remains a game-time decision for the semi-final, with medical staff closely monitoring her condition.

Ellyse Perry mentioned, "As of now, things haven’t changed for Healy. The medical team will give her every chance to play, but we’ll know more in the next 24 hours."

Australia's fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck, who injured her shoulder during her World Cup return, has been ruled out of the tournament. Heather Graham has been named as her replacement, while Grace Harris and Darcie Brown were included in the XI for the India match.

South Africa, on the other hand, are not facing any injury concerns and are likely to stick with their successful lineup. Historically, they have struggled against Australia, having won only one out of ten T20I encounters. However, that sole victory came earlier this year in Canberra. South Africa is still searching for their first World Cup win against Australia in either format. This match will serve as a rematch of the 2023 T20 World Cup final, where South Africa lost in front of their home crowd in Cape Town.

South Africa have played three games in Dubai during this tournament, while Australia has only played one, against Pakistan. The average first-innings score at this venue is 126, with India setting the highest total of 172 against Sri Lanka last week.

Key Players to Watch:  

Megan Schutt has been instrumental in Australia’s campaign, delivering tight bowling spells. She began with 3 for 12 against Sri Lanka on a spin-friendly track, followed by an incredible 3 for 3 against New Zealand. In Dubai, she bowled 1 for 7 in her three overs against Pakistan. Despite conceding 24 runs in her first three overs against India, Schutt bounced back in the 17th over, giving away only one run and turning the game in Australia’s favour.

For South Africa, Tazmin Brits has been a standout with her steady starts. After an unbeaten 57 in the tournament opener, she passed the 40-run mark in her last two matches. In a slow game against Bangladesh, she scored a patient 42 off 41 balls, guiding South Africa to a comfortable win. Earlier this year, Brits played a key role in South Africa's first T20I win against Australia, scoring 41 off 28 balls in a chase of 143.