NEW DELHI: South Africa strengthened their chances of reaching the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a commanding 88-run victory over the Netherlands in Bristol on Thursday.Opening batter Tazmin Brits produced the innings of her career, remaining unbeaten on 114 off 69 balls as South Africa posted a tournament-best 208/1 before restricting the Netherlands to 120/8.The victory was South Africa’s third in a row after their opening defeat to Australia and lifted them to six points from four matches, level with India in Group 1. However, the Proteas remain behind India on net run rate. Their semi-final hopes will now depend on Sunday’s clash against Bangladesh, while India face group leaders Australia.Brits was the star of the evening, scoring her maiden T20I century in her 82nd match. Her unbeaten 114 was the second-highest individual score in Women’s T20 World Cup history, behind Meg Lanning’s 126 against Ireland in 2014.She shared a 121-run opening stand with captain Laura Wolvaardt, who made 45, before adding an unbroken 87-run partnership with Annerie Dercksen, who smashed 37 not out off just 16 balls.Brits started aggressively, helping South Africa reach 66 without loss in the PowerPlay. During her knock, she also became only the second South African woman after Wolvaardt to complete 2,000 T20I runs.She reached her century in the 18th over with her first six of the innings and finished with three sixes and 15 boundaries. The total of 208/1 was South Africa’s highest-ever score in Women’s T20 World Cup history.The Netherlands made a positive start to the chase, reaching 50 without loss in the PowerPlay through Phoebe Molkenboer and Sanya Khurana. Molkenboer (41), Khurana and Sterre Kalis kept the scoreboard moving as the Dutch crossed 100 in the 15th over.However, they were never close to the required run rate and suffered a dramatic collapse late in the innings, losing seven wickets for the final 20 runs.Ayabonga Khaka led South Africa’s bowling attack with figures of 3/19, while Shabnim Ismail continued her remarkable comeback after returning from retirement. Ismail claimed her 48th wicket in Women’s T20 World Cup history, equalling Australia’s Megan Schutt as the tournament’s all-time leading wicket-taker.Speaking after receiving the Player of the Match award, Brits admitted she hardly realised she was closing in on a century.“I actually didn’t even realise I was close to it, to be honest with you. I just wanted to try and get us to 200, so that was the main goal. I’m very chuffed. It’s nice to do that, especially at a World Cup,” she said.Brits also revealed she had worked on improving her off-side game and explained her unique celebration after reaching three figures.“It was a sign language celebration. I got asked to do it, so I tried to study it a bit. I was saying, ‘I am grateful to God.'”South Africa now head into a must-win clash against Bangladesh at Lord’s, knowing another victory could seal a place in the semi-finals if results go their way.
