MANCHESTER: Australian launched their campaign in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with a resounding 65-run victory over South Africa in Manchester on Saturday.
A solid batting effort saw Australia post 172-8 in the stipulated 20 overs at Old Trafford. They then dismissed South Africa, the 2024 finalists, for a paltry 107 in 16.4 overs.
Georgia Wareham stood out for her all-round effort. After a 22-ball 32 with the bat, she claimed three wickets, and contributed in the field with a catch and a run-out.
Put into bat, Australia bore the brunt of some inspired bowling by pacers Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail at the beginning. While Kapp packed off Georgia Voll in the opening over Ismail struck with the wicket of Beth Mooney.
Phoebe Litchfield led the Australian fightback with a quickfire half-century, striking nine fours and a six in her 24-ball 50.
South African bowlers tried to make life difficult England, taking wickets at regular intervals. Nonkululeko Mlaba (2-22), Nadine De Klerk (2-35) and Ayabonga Khaka (2-33 in three overs) were the main wicket-takers.
Ellyse Perry (36 off 26) anchored the innings with two important partnerships — a 37-run third-wicket stand with Litchfield and a 58-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Wareham. Annabel Sutherland cracked 21.
South Africa never really got going in the chase. Sophie Molineux drew first blood as she trapped Sune Luus in the opening over.
Captain Laura Wolvaardt (44) stitched handy partnerships with Nadine De Klerk (25) and Kapp (12). But once Kapp was run out, South Africa came down like a house of cards, losing their last seven wickets for just 25 runs. While Wareham took three wickets, including those of De Klerk and Chloe Tyron, Molineux and Alana King claimed two each.
MAIDEN triumph FOR SCOTLAND
Earlier on Saturday, Scotland claimed their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup win with a 40-run thumping of Ireland in their opening match at Old Trafford.
Scotland skipper Kathryn Bryce and ex-England spinner Kirstie Gordon were the difference makers as the former smashed 60 off 39 balls to set Ireland a stiff 162 to win, before Gordon (3-16) dismantled their middle order with three wickets in four balls.
Sarah Bryce (49) was also instrumental in the victory, sharing in a 106-run partnership with her sister that helped Scotland recover from 36-2 to post 161-5 after being inserted.
Katherine Fraser (15) had been the first to fall, to a terrific Alice Tector catch in the swirling wind on the boundary, while Darcey Carter (14) was cleaned up by an Aimee Maguire (1-37) yorker. Ava Canning finished with 3-27.
In reply, Ireland never got going, as Kathryn’s day got even better with a brilliant, one-handed catch off her own bowling to dismiss Alana Dalzell (six) in the opening over.
Ireland fell badly behind the required rate and were only 37-2 in the eighth over when captain Gaby Lewis’ painstaking 19-ball stay in the middle was ended for 11, stumped by Sarah Bryce off Fraser (3-19).
Fraser added Amy Hunter (39) before Gordon (3-16) then took charge in the 13th over.
Ireland were eventually bowled out for 121, with Kathryn fittingly claiming the final wicket.
On Friday, England made a flying start to the showpiece as Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s blistering ton inspired an 87-run rout of Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.
Wyatt-Hodge struck a superb 105 not out off just 62 balls. It was only England’s fifth women’s T20 hundred and Wyatt-Hodge has three of them.
She propelled the hosts to 219-1, their highest ever score in the tournament, eclipsing their 213-5 against Pakistan in 2023.
Sri Lanka never looked like overhauling England and subsided to 132 all out in a one-sided tournament opener. Freya Kemp excelled with figures of 4-21 while Charlie Dean and Sophie Ecclestone finished with two wickets each.
Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2026