Proteas cruise into semis with 10 wicket win over Bangladesh

An unbeaten century opening stand from Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits saw the Proteas cruise into the semifinals of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with a comfortable 10 wicket win over Bangladesh in their final pool match at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday night.

Wolvaardt cracked 66 off 56 balls (7×4; 1×6) and Brits hit 50 off 51 (4×4) as they easily chased down the 114 runs needed to win set by Bangladesh batting first, with 13 balls to spare.

The Proteas have now set up an enticing semifinal clash against England at the same ground on Friday afternoon, while tournament favourites and defending champs Australia will take on India in the other semi on Thursday.

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It was however not a fully comfortable chase as the innings got off to a nervy start as Wolvaardt and Brits managed just nine runs off the first four overs.

Wolvaardt then decided to get a move on as she shimmied down the wicket and clubbed Nahida Akter over wide long on for the first six of the match, while a slashed four past backward point off the bowling of Jahanara Alam saw a strong end to the powerplay with them on 26/0.

Brits lived a bit of a charmed life in the next few overs as she was twice let off the hook by Bangladesh keeper Shamima Sultana as she twice failed to stump her while out of her ground, as the Proteas reached the halfway mark on 43/0.

The Proteas needed to pick up the rate and they did as the next five overs went for 40 runs as both batters finally found the boundary, with back to back fours from Brits in the 14th over helping the cause.

The 16th over was then the defining one for the Proteas as back to back boundaries from Wolvaardt saw her bring up her half century, while Brits received another lifeline as she was dropped for four as the over went for 16 runs.

Brits then brought up her half century at the start of the 18th over, before Wolvaardt deservedly ended the game with back to back boundaries to finish in style.

In the first innings Bangladesh got off to a poor start as opener Murshida Khatun fell for a sixth ball duck, caught by Nadine de Klerk off the bowling of Marizanne Kapp, while Shamima Sultana (11) was caught by Brits off the bowling of Shabnim Ismail with them 22/2 in the sixth over.

Sobhana Mostary (27) and captain Nigar Sultana (30) attempted to rebuild with a 33-run third wicket partnership, taking their side to the halfway mark of the innings on 41/2.

Proteas star spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba finally made the breakthrough, bowling Mostary through the gate at the start of the 13th over with Bangladesh on 55/3.

Sultana and Shorna Akter (11) then combined for a 25-run stand, before Akter was bowled by a good yorker from Ayabonga Khaka, followed by Sultana dragging onto her own stumps off the bowling of Kapp, with them on 84/5 in the 17th over.

Some good late striking from Nahida Akter, 15no off 11 balls, then gave Bangladesh a slight boost at the end of the innings as they finished on 113/6.

Kapp ended with figures of 2/17 and Khaka with 2/21 to be the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.