South Africa will face defending world champions India in the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup final after chasing down Australia’s asking total to win the first semi-final by 5 wickets, with 11 deliveries to spare, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, 31 January, 2025.
Ashleigh van Wyk was the star of the show, taking four for 17 as she helped restrict Australia to an under-par 105 for eight from their 20 overs, before opening bat Jemma Botha smashed 37 from just 24 balls to set SA on their way, skipper Kayla Reyneke taking up the chase to guide South Africa to a chance at the 2025 title on Sunday.
South Africa made the perfect start with Nthabiseng Nini trapping Ines McKeon leg before from the very first delivery of the match. Grace Lyons followed in the third over, run out after Lucy Hamilton had driven the ball straight only for Nini to get down and get a touch on it, diverting it onto the stumps with the wicket-keeper out of her crease.
Skipper Hamilton and Caoimhe Bray went about rebuilding, with the former hitting three boundaries in quick succession.
She fell LBW sweeping to opposite number Reyneke to make it 30 for three, which brought Eleanor Larosa to the crease and she provided useful support for Bray. The 15-year-old all-rounder took the initiative, with the pair adding 27 in 7.5 overs before Larosa was caught and bowled by Seshnie Naidu for seven.
Hasrat Gill soon followed for one, becoming Van Wyk’s first victim as she was brilliantly caught on the run by Luyanda Nzuza. Bray was joined by Ella Briscoe as Australia looked to pick up the scoring rate. Bray finally departed for an invaluable 36, caught and bowled by Van Wyk.
The spinner added two more in the space of three balls to finish with figures of four for 17 but Briscoe smashed four boundaries to finish with an unbeaten 17-ball 27 to take Australia to 105 for eight.
Botha showed her intent from the start, finding the boundary through the offside twice in the first over. Simone Lourens got in on the act, leaving Australia in need of a wicket. Chloe Ainsworth provided it with her very first ball, bringing one back and bowling Lourens for five.
As Botha continued to find the boundaries, Fay Cowling joined in, hitting the first six of the match before miscuing one off Hasrat Gill to go for seven. That brought Reyneke to the crease, but she let Botha take the lead, showing her comfort against pace with powerful striking including two sixes of her own after surviving a run-out scare.
The game was in danger of getting away from Australia, but Hamilton struck an important blow, with Botha caught at cover by Juliette Morton to depart for a 24-ball 37, making it 56 for three in the eighth over.
Reyneke and Karabo Meso came together, adding 38, with the required rate not an issue as it hovered around three an over. They were able to keep the scoreboard ticking over with singles, while picking off the odd boundary until Meso was brilliantly caught in the deep by Lily Bassingthwaighte off Gill for 19.
The hard work was done by that point however, even after Reyneke fell for 26 to a brilliant catch by Bray with three still required.
They got there with 11 balls to spare, and will now prepare to take on India or England in their first final at this level.
Scores in Brief
Australia v South Africa at the Bayuemas Oval, in Kuala Lumpur
Australia 105 for eight in 20 overs (Caoimhe Bray 36, Ella Briscoe 27 not out; Ashleigh van Wyk 4/17, Nthabiseng Nini 1/18)
South Africa 106 for five in 18.1 overs (Jemma Botha 37, Kayla Reyneke 26; Lucy Hamilton 2/17, Hasrat Gill 2/20)
Result: South Africa won by five wickets
SA U19 Women Fixtures and Results for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 (All times CAT)
Sat 18 Jan: South Africa beat New Zealand by 22 runs (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak)
Mon 20 Jan: South Africa beat Samoa by 10 wickets (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak)
Wed 22 Jan: South Africa beat Nigeria by 41 runs (DLS) (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak)
Saturday, 25 January
New Zealand beat USA by 18 runs (YSD UKM Oval, Kuala Lumpur) (Group 2)
England v Nigeria – Match abandoned (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) (Group 2)
South Africa beat Ireland by 7 wickets (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) (Group 2)
Australia beat West Indies by 7 wickets (YSD UKM Oval) (Group 1)
Sunday, 26 January
Sri Lanka v Scotland Match abandoned (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur) (Group 1)
India beat Bangladesh by 8 wickets (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur) (Group 1)
Monday 27 January
England beat New Zealand by 6 wickets (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) (Group 2)
Tuesday 28 January
South Africa v USA Match abandoned (Borneo Cricket Ground, Sarawak) (Group 2)
Bangladesh beat West Indies by 10 wickets (Bayuemas Oval) (Group 1)
India beat Scotland by 150 runs (Group 1)
Wednesday 29 January
Nigeria beat Ireland by 6 runs (YSD UKM Oval) (Group 2)
Sri Lanka beat Australia by 12 runs (YSD UKM Oval) (Group 1)
Fri 31 January
1st Semi-final South Africa beat Australia by 5 wickets (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)
2nd Semi-final India beat England by 9 wickets (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur)
Sunday, 2 February – Final
India vs South Africa (Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur) (14:30 CAT)
Original Copy: The ICC, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: South Africa cruised past Australia who elected to bat first, chasing down the asking total of 106 to win the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final by 5 wickets, with 11 deliveries to spare, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, 31 January, 2025. Photo: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Photo 2 Caption: Player of the Match Ashleigh van Wyk rocked the Australian lineup with figures of 4/17 in her three overs. Photo: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Photo 3 Caption: Jemma Botha’s sparkling innings of 37 off 24 balls set the stage for South Africa’s comfortable win. Photo: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
Photo 4 Caption: Wicketkeeper/batting allrounder Karabo Meso (19 off 29 balls) took up the reigns of the chase with skipper Kayla Reyneke (26 off 26 balls) to afford the talented South African side to the win, and with it, a chance at the tournament title. Photo: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
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