Australia vs South Africa highlights, Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Semi-Final: Anneke Bosch shines as South Africa beat Australia by 8 wickets to enter final

Ayabonga Khaka to Beth Mooney, WIDE. Slower ball, but misdirected. Down the leg side on a length, Beth Mooney swivels for the pull but misses.

Ayabonga Khaka to Georgia Wareham, On a good length, outside off, Wareham places it to the left of mid off and gets off the mark with a single.

Ayabonga Khaka to Georgia Wareham, Around off, coming in, played to the leg side.

Ayabonga Khaka to Georgia Wareham, On a good length, outside off, Georgia Wareham tentatively pokes at it and gets beaten.

Georgia Wareham walks in at number 3, replacing Grace Harris.

Ayabonga Khaka to Grace Harris, OUT! CAUGHT! South Africa strike early and it is another failure for Grace Harris. A length ball, outside off, not that wide and Harris looks for the cut. She does not keep it down and the ball flies low, but straight to the fielder at backward point. Anneke Bosch makes no mistake as she grabs it inches above the surface. Harris departs for 3 (5) and Australia Women are 7/1 after 1.1 overs!

Ayabonga Khaka to share the new-ball attack with Kapp.

Marizanne Kapp to Beth Mooney, Full, around middle, hint of inswing, Beth walks down the track and eases it towards mid on. Decent start by Kapp and South Africa.

Marizanne Kapp to Beth Mooney, FOUR BYES! Excellent bowling again. Kapp bowls a length ball outside off and gets it to nip back in. Mooney tries to run it down to deep third but is beaten by the inward movement. The ball goes past the bat, the off stump and lands just in front of the keeper, Sinalo Jafta. She is unable to stop it and the ball goes through. It is given as byes but replay shows a thick inside edge.

Marizanne Kapp to Grace Harris, Landed outside off, Harris dabs it behind point and straightaway calls for the single. Beth Mooney is not sure and waits till the ball goes past the fielder at backward point, to her left. So, she starts running late. Harris, meanwhile, is not even looking at Mooney and comes charging across. She completes the first run and turns blindly for the second, but is paused by Mooney as she finally looks up at her partner.

Marizanne Kapp to Grace Harris, Gets into a little ramp position this time and manages to lift it over the keeper. Should have been just a single but Ayabonga Khaka fumbles at fine leg and allows the second. Harris and Australia are underway.

Marizanne Kapp to Grace Harris, Adjustment from Harris. Moves outside the off stump to cover the swing, gets another outswinger, on a fuller length and drives it towards mid off.

Marizanne Kapp to Grace Harris, A beauty first up. Swing straightaway for Kapp. On a good length, outside off, Grace Harris tries to steer it past first slip but is beaten by the outswing.

Okay. So NKOSI SIKELEL AFRIKA and ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR have been sung and it is time for the game to begin! The South African players get into a last-minute huddle and then spread out onto the field. The Aussie openers now walk out - it will be the pair of Beth Mooney and Grace Harris again, due to the absence of Alyssa Healy. Who will start with the new ball? Will Wolvaardt try something different and begin with a spinner? No experimenting. It will be the tried and tested bowling of the experienced Marizanne Kapp to bowl the first over. Harris will be the one facing the first ball. Here we go!

Time for the national anthems. It will be South Africa's anthem first, followed by that of Australia's.

Australian star PHOEBE LITCHFIELD was sharing her thoughts with the broadcasters ahead of this game. Litchfield says that it has been a really exciting World Cup with some awesome crowd in Dubai. Believes that as you grow up, you start identifying your strengths. So for her, she is trying to hit in the mid-wicket area. On trying to make an impact in the final overs, Phoebe admits that the ability to clear the ropes does not come naturally to her but she tries to strike the ball as hard as possible. On the pressure of the defending champions' tag, PL says that personally it does not put any pressure on her as this is her first World Cup but as far as her teammates are concerned, she calls them professional enough to be able to handle the pressure.

PITCH REPORT - Former Pakistan cricketer Sana Mir is having a look at the deck. Mir believes that there are more runs on this pitch than the others as this looks a lot brighter with not as much grass on it, as on some of the other decks. Feels that there will be a lot of swing on offer for the fast bowlers. As far as the spinners are concerned, Sana reckons that change of pace is the key, with the average speed around 70 kph. Feels that Nonkululeko Mlaba would be the key for South Africa in this contest.

South Africa Women (UNCHANGED Playing XI) - Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Nadine De Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (WK), Nonkululeko Mlaba and Ayabonga Khaka.

Australia Women (UNCHANGED Playing XI) - Beth Mooney (WK), Grace Harris, Ellyse Perry, Ash Gardner, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath (C), Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Sophie Molineux, Megan Schutt and Darcie Brown.

Australian captain, TAHLIA MCGRATH, agrees that it looks like a really nice wicket and is happy to be putting the runs on the board in a semifinal. Informs that they are going with the same team which played against India. On the pitch shift from Sharjah to Dubai, Tahlia says that the main aim of the group is to adapt to the conditions irrespective of the pitch and nothing changes in this game. 

South African skipper, LAURA WOLVAARDT, says that it looks like a pretty fresh wicket so they fancy chasing. Agrees that they have some experience of playing over here and batting certainly gets better in the second innings under lights. On their previous bilateral series in Australia, Laura says that it does give the team good confidence but quickly says that today is a new day. Informs that they are going in unchanged from their previous match.

TOSS - Time for the flip of the coin. Tahlia McGrath flicks it in the air and TAILS is the call by Laura Wolvaardt. It is a Tail. SOUTH AFRICA ELECT TO CHASE.