Match Preview – SA WMN vs AUS WMN, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2022/23, Final

Big picture: Sales at Newlands

Ask any South African and they’ll tell you they never expected it – their team in the Women’s T20 title decider, their country’s first senior cricket team to reach a World Cup final. . Ask any Australian and they’ll tell you they expected it – their team is one match away from a third consecutive T20I World Cup crown and sixth overall.

After a three-run defeat by South Africa to Sri Lanka in the tournament opener and a six-wicket loss to Australia in Gakibarha, they had to beat Bangladesh in their final group match to reach the semi-finals, where they are . This World Cup really shined. Australia advanced by defeating a spirited India by just five runs before clinching a six-run victory over hosts England, who, like Australia, went into the knockout stages unbeaten.

So has South Africa played its final? Or can they be expected to go one level higher before the expected sell-out crowd – a first for a women’s sporting event in South Africa – of around 13,000 at Newlands? It’s hard to see any chink in Australia’s armor – even with India’s scare they did what they often do and put in a superb fielding performance, their rock-solid top four and Ashley Gardner’s quiet death bowling. Thankfully, there was a way out. And Jess Jonasson.

However, the home side are riding a high tide of emotion and confidence. Their bowling attack is outstanding, as shown in their win against England and they were also sharp in the field during the semi-final – especially Tazmin Britts – showing they can handle the pressure.

Farm Guide

South Africa WWLWL (all full matches, most recent first)
Australia WWW

In the spotlight: Australia’s batting vs South Africa’s bowling

Don’t forget the home crowd. An additional 3,000 tickets were made available for the upper tiers at Newlands on Saturday morning and were all sold out by mid-afternoon. Australia knows what it’s like to play with a packed house behind them and now that the South African team can expect the same, there’s no telling what he can do.

Team News: Jonasson more than King for Australia?

While it was the pace duo of Ismail and Khaka who did the damage in the semi-final, Malaba also has a top-class spinner between them. South Africa fielded their best XI against England and are unlikely to change that winning formula for the final.

South Africa (probable): 1 Tazmin Brits, 2 Laura Wolvaardt, 3 Marizanne Kapp, 4 Suné Luus (capt), 5 Chloe Tryon, 6 Anneke Bosch, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Shabnam Ismail, 10 Ayabonga Khaka , 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba

Australia have all the players available to go into the final. He replaced leg-spinner Alana King with left-arm spinner Jonasson for the semi-final against India, and Jonasson’s bowling at the death was a key factor in Australia’s five-run victory, so it would be no surprise to see him retain his place. It will not matter.

Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (WK), 2 Beth Mooney, 3 Meg Lanning (capt), 4 Ashley Gardner, 5 Elise Perry, 6 Tahlia McGrath, 7 Grace Harris, 8 Georgia Wareham, 9 Jess Jonasson, 10 Megan Shut, 11 Darcy Brown

Pitch and conditions

The match will be played on the same Newlands pitch that hosted both the semi-finals where pace played a key role, especially at the start of England’s chase when Ismail flashed his thunder. But by the next day it was looking quite brown with some cracks appearing under the sun and dry air. Another sunny day is forecast with a high of 26 degrees Celsius. Roughly bang in the center of the earth, the on and offside boundaries are roughly equal.

Stats and Trivia

Australia have won all six T20s and 14 out of 15 ODIs between these teams. Only in 2016 did South Africa avoid defeat in a tie match.
Burts and Woolward have put on 299 runs between them so far. Only Healy and Mooney (352 runs in 2020) have added more runs together in one edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup.
Healy has scored five fifties in her last 10 innings at the Women’s T20 World Cup, where she has scored 407 runs at an average of 45.22 and a strike rate of 138.43.

Quotations

“We know we’re probably not going to be the team everyone is cheering for but that’s OK, you know it’s going to be an incredible game in an incredible atmosphere and an incredible venue. – So we’re excited, we can’t wait. To get out here and play and there’s no doubt it’s going to be a great competition.
Australian captain Meg Lanning Ready not to feel at home.

“That’s it, my friend, it’s history, understand? Tomorrow, it’s a one-off match, you can’t worry about Australia and what they’re doing.”
South African coach Hilton Mooring How to beat the five-time champions who have won 19 of their last 20 T20Is and remain unbeaten in the tournament.

Valkyrie Baines is a general editor for women’s cricket at ESPNcricinfo.

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