Cricket-England to face Australia in women's T20 World Cup final

Cricket - ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - Semi Final - England v South Africa - The Oval, London, Britain - July 2, 2026 England's Freya Kemp celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of South Africa's Annerie Dercksen caught out by England's Heather Knight Action Images via Reuters/Cat Goryn

LONDON, July ⁠2 (Reuters) - Hosts England beat South ⁠Africa by 40 runs at the ‌Oval on Thursday to set up a women's T20 World Cup final with Australia.

Captain ​Nat Sciver-Brunt top scored ⁠with 75 from ⁠47 after recovering from a calf strain that ⁠had ‌threatened her participation in the tournament.

Heather Knight, with ⁠58 from 47, and Sciver-Brunt shared ​a partnership ‌of 133 from 90 balls.

England were ⁠169-5, ​fighting back from 23-3 after losing the toss and batting first, with ⁠South Africa restricted to ​129-8 in reply.

South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt was caught for 17 by Sophie ⁠Ecclestone off Linsey Smith after a 43-run opening stand, with Tazmin Brits hitting 51 off 45.

England, in ​the final for ⁠the first time in eight years, face ​their six-time T20 ‌world champion rivals at ​Lord's on Sunday.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)