West Indies, South Africa strengthen case for T20WC semi-finals

Two games that could shape the race for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final spots took place on Sunday.

While West Indies overcame Sri Lanka in a low-scoring affair, South Africa rallied for a sensational win over India.

South Africa v India

An incredible all-round performance by Marizanne Kapp powered South Africa to a thrilling six-wicket win over India in Manchester on Sunday.

Kapp claimed 2/27 to restrict India to 158/7 and then turned the match around with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 81, which included four towering sixes, to take her team to 161/4 in 19.1 overs.

It was South Africa’s highest successful chase in a Women’s T20 World Cup, and third highest overall. The win over one of tournament’s heavyweights may just be the spark the Proteas needed to get their World Cup campaign back on track after two shaky performances.

For India, this was the first defeat of the campaign.

Electing to bat first, India made a flying start as Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma powered them to 23 in the first two overs.

Just when the Indian openers were threatening to run away with it, Marizanne Kapp struck with the wicket of Mandhana. Attempting a scoop, the southpaw left the stumps exposed and Kapp was on the money.

Shabnim Ismail then dealt a big blow, dismissing the in-form Verma, who had already struck four fours and a six (the only one of the innings as it happened) for a quickfire 31. Having posted 59/2 in powerplay, India did not capitalise on the quick start.

All the Indian batters got starts but they failed to convert. In her landmark 200th T20I, Harmanpreet Kaur scored 24, while a cameo of 29 by Deepti Sharma made sure India got past 150.

South African bowlers, led by their fiery pace duo of Kapp and Ismail (2/28), shackled the power-packed Indian batting line-up in the second half. They conceded 76 runs and picked four wickets in the last 10 overs.

India came out of the mid-innings break firing. Not only did they starve South Africa of runs early on, a double-wicket maiden by Sree Charani (3/24) in the final over of powerplay had them reeling at 25/2.

But with her team on the ropes, Kapp came up with one of the knocks of the tournament.

She stitched a 97-run partnership with Tazmin Brits (40) to guide South Africa back on track. The South African batters navigated the tricky early phase by picking the gaps and keeping the scoring rate ticking. Once they had their eye in, they flipped the switch in the 15th over, reaping 16 runs from it.

Though Kapp lost Brits and Nadine De Klerk along the way, she kept the pressure on India by going for her shots.

With South Africa needing 18 runs to win in the last two overs, she launched into two sixes against Deepti Sharma, the joint-highest wicket-taker in women’s international cricket, and knocked off 16 runs in the over.

Kapp watched from the non-striker’s end as Chloe Tyron wrapped up victory with a thick edge that ran down for four. Even as the South African dug out erupted in celebration an emotional Kapp sunk to a knee, the adrenaline leaving her body after the match-winning heroics.

South Africa are well and truly back in the race to the semi-finals as they climbed to No. 3 in Group A, while India maintained second place on the leaderboard.

West Indies v Sri Lanka

West Indies continued their winning streak at the Women’s T20 World Cup as they edged to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a low-scoring affair in Bristol.

Hayley Matthews’ second successive three-wicket haul helped West Indies restrict Sri Lanka to 99. Though it wasn’t the most fluent batting effort from the Caribbean side, they got past the finish line with 99/5 in 16.1 overs.

With their third straight win of the tournament, West Indies have strengthened their chances of making the semi-finals. They are currently placed second in Group B, trailing England only due to inferior net run rate.

Electing to field first, Matthews spearheaded the attack three wickets in her first two overs.

After dismissing Vishmi Gunarathne in the first over of the innings, she dealt big blows in the next, snapping Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama. With Chinelle Henry chipping in with the wicket of Imesha Dulani, Sri Lanka were reeling at 23/4 at the end of powerplay.

Nilakshika Silva, who had guided Sri Lanka to victory against defending champions New Zealand on Tuesday, once again took on the responsibility. She stitched a 34-run stand with Kavisha Dilhari to stem the slide and went on to top score with 30 off 26 balls.

Towards the end, Kawya Kavindi (17) was the only Lankan batter to provide some resistance.

A disciplined bowling performance from West Indies had made sure that Sri Lanka never got their teeth into contest. Matthews finished with 3/15 in her four overs, while Karishma Ramharack mopped the tail (2/15) on a day where all West Indian bowlers were amongst wickets.

Chasing a modest total, the Caribbean side made heavy weather for it.

After a 28-run opening stand, West Indies handed Sri Lanka the breakthrough as Matthews was run out while attempting a cheeky single. Silva charged in from mid on and nailed the direct hit at the non-striker’s end to pack off the West Indian captain.

With Deandra Dottin falling to a Nimasha Meepage on the final ball of powerplay, West Indies were pushed back to 36/2.

The Sri Lankan bowlers kept coming at West Indies, striking at regular intervals. Kavisha Dilhari was especially difficult to get past and she finished with 2/22 to give Sri Lanka a fighting chance.

However, Stafanie Taylor kept the pressure at bay with steady unbeaten 27.  Her 29-run partnership with Jannillea Glasgow saw West Indies knock off the requisite runs with almost four overs to spare.