DUBAI: South Africa produced a superb all-round performance to thrash Scotland by 80 runs in their Group B match at the Women's T20 World Cup in Dubai on Wednesday.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, South Africa chalked up a tournament high 166-5 in their 20 overs with captain Laura Wolvaardt (40), Tazmin Brits (43) and Marizanne Kapp (43) all feasting on some weak bowling and poor fielding.
Scotland, playing in their first World Cup, were never in the chase and slumped to 80 all out in 17.5 overs to be eliminated from the tournament after three successive defeats.
"We felt the best chance to win the game was to put a lot of runs on the board and restrict them," said Wolvaardt.
"We wanted to be ruthless and show what we are about and kill it off the way we did."
The win lifts South Africa, beaten by Australia in the final of the 2023 edition, to the top of Group B while Scotland, who had already lost to Bangladesh and West Indies, remain bottom.
Scotland made life hard for themselves, dropping a simple chance when Wolvaardt was on just two.
The skipper made them pay as she clubbed five fours and a six in her 27-ball 40 which took her past Lizelle Lee's 1,896 runs to become South Africa's top-scorer in T20I cricket.
She fell to a fine catch by Olivia Bell but Scotland again blotted their copybook with another bad drop which reprieved Anneke Bosch on three.
Brits hit five fours and a six in her 43 while Kapp smashed her 43 off just 23 balls, enough to give her the player of the match award.
"I was a little bit nervous at the start," she said.
"(We) knew the wicket was going to be slow. it played a lot slower than our first game. Luckily, it came off."
The Scotland reply never got going, only Katherine Fraser (14) and Ailsa Lister (12) making it into double figures.
Nonkululeko Mlaba was the most successful of the South African bowlers, picking up 3-12 in her four overs, while fellow left-arm spinner Chloe Tryon (2-22) became the first bowler to take two caught and bowleds in a women's T20I.
South Africa play their final group game against Bangladesh in Dubai on Saturday, knowing that a win will give them a great chance of reaching the semifinals.
"Massive game for us, we need a win," said Wolvaardt. "This will give us a lot of confidence and hopefully we can hit the ground running for that game."
Australia on song
Australia continued their march towards a seventh Women's T20 World Cup title with a crushing 60-run win over New Zealand in their Group A match in Sharjah on Tuesday.
After posting a tournament high 148-8 in their 20 overs with Beth Mooney top-scoring with 40, Australia stifled the New Zealand batters who folded for just 88 in 19.2 overs.
Quick bowler Megan Schutt was the pick of the Australian bowlers, her return of 3-3 in 3.2 overs netting her the Player of the Match award.
"We could have been smarter with the bat at the end, but we came out really well with the ball and I'm really happy with that," said Australia skipper Alyssa Healy.
"Megan Schutt has been wonderful but I thought the whole attack tonight was unbelievable."
Holders Australia, who have won six of the eight previous tournaments, top Group A while New Zealand slip to third, behind Pakistan but still above India on net run rate. — AFP
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