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October 21, 2024
Australia sweat over captain Healy’s fitness ahead of the knockouts
Dubai, 6 PM Local Time
Australia Squad:
South Africa Squad:
Tournament Form:
Australia is undefeated in the T20 World Cup, winning all four of their matches, including a thrilling nine-run victory against India in their last group game. South Africa has a record of three wins and one loss, with their only defeat coming against England.
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Alyssa Healy missed the match against India due to a foot injury sustained while batting. She arrived on crutches, and in her absence, Tahlia McGrath captained the team, with Ellyse Perry stepping in as vice-captain and Beth Mooney as the wicketkeeper.
“As it stands, it’s the same thing for Midgie [Healy],” Perry said on the eve of the semi-final. “The medical staff and the team are going to give her every opportunity and possibility of playing tomorrow night but I don’t think anything’s changed in that respect. We’ll just have to see in the next 24 hours.”
Fast bowler Tayla Vlaeminck has been ruled out of the T20 World Cup after injuring her shoulder during her return match against Pakistan. Heather Graham has been named as her replacement. Additionally, Grace Harris and Darcie Brown have been included in the playing XI for the upcoming game against India, further strengthening the squad.
South Africa, on the other hand, is in good shape with no injury concerns and is unlikely to alter their winning combination. Historically, they have struggled against Australia in T20Is, winning only one out of their ten encounters. That sole victory came in January during a bilateral series in Canberra. Notably, South Africa has never secured a win against Australia in any World Cup match across both formats. Their upcoming match will be a rematch of the 2023 T20 World Cup final, where South Africa faced a heartbreaking defeat in front of their home crowd in Cape Town.
In terms of tournament performance, South Africa has played three matches in Dubai, while Australia has only played one, against Pakistan. The average first-innings score at this venue is 126, with India achieving the highest total of 172 against Sri Lanka last Wednesday. This context sets the stage for an exciting clash between two competitive teams.
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Experienced pacer Megan Schutt has been instrumental in Australia’s success throughout the tournament, showcasing her skill in tight bowling spells. She kicked off the competition with an impressive 3 for 12 against Sri Lanka on a spin-friendly pitch and delivered outstanding figures of 3 for 3 against New Zealand. In her match against Pakistan in Dubai, she conceded just 7 runs in three overs, and against India, she initially gave away 24 runs in her first three overs. However, she turned the game around in the 17th over, allowing only one run and leaving India needing 40 runs off the final 18 balls.
On the South African side, Tazmin Brits has been a standout performer, consistently providing solid starts for her team. She began the tournament with a remarkable unbeaten 57 and followed it up with two more innings where she scored over 40 runs. Notably, in a match against Bangladesh, she displayed patience on a slow track, scoring 42 runs off 41 balls, which contributed significantly to South Africa’s comfortable victory. Brits also played a crucial role in South Africa’s first and only T20I win against Australia earlier this year, scoring a fiery 41 off 28 balls, which included eight boundaries, during a successful chase of 143.
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