England took down a spirited South African side to register back-to-back wins in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. Heather Knight's team completed the highest successful run-chase in Women's T20Is at Sharjah as the Three Lions hunted down 125 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday, October 7.
Leading the in the chase were Danielle Wyatt-Hodge and Nat Sciver-Brunt, both of who partnered for 64 runs for the third wicket to ensure their team does not slip in the second innings. But the game was evenly poised at the halfway mark. England were at 55/2 with Scibver-Brunt new at the crease.
The star all-rounder showed her experience and kept the scoreboard ticking along with Wyatt-Hodge. The runs kept coming and the Proteas could not build enough pressure. While Wyatt-Hodge was stumped out in the 18th over, the two had already done the damage. Fittingly, Nat-Sciver took the team home with a four off Ayabonga Khaka in the last over when four runs were needed.
This has become the highest run-chase in WT20Is in Sharjah, going past the previous best of 111 by Sri Lanka against Pakistan nine years ago in 2015. This is also the joint-highest target chased by a team against the Proteas women in T20 World Cups.
Highest targets chased against SA-W in Women’s T20 WC:
125 - NZ-W, Taunton, 2009
125 - AUS-W, Gqeberha, 2023
125 - ENG-W, Sharjah, 2024
116 - AUS-W, Sylhet, 2014
103 - AUS-W, Nagpur, 2016
With this win, England have moved to the top place in the Group B. They have two wins in as many games and a place in the semifinals is not much far away. They have two more games - one each against Scotland and West Indies - and would fancy their chances for another entry into the knockouts.
Earlier, captain Laura Wolvaardt completed her 6000 runs in limited-overs cricket. Her 42-run knock took the Proteas side to 124/6 but that proved out to be not enough for them. The 2023 finalists now have to face Scotland and Bangladesh and will hope for quick turnaround.
