NZealand knock SAfrica out of Women’s World T20

BANGALORE: New Zealand Women produced a clinical performance to knock South Africa out of the tournament, after a resounding seven-wicket win at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday night.

New Zealand hunted down the target of 100 with 33 balls to spare after bowling South Africa out in the last over. With this result, Australia join New Zealand in the semi-finals from Group A.

South Africa's openers - Trisha Chetty and Dane van Niekerk - added 21 after being inserted, but the New Zealand bowlers kept chipping away thereafter.

Marizanne Kapp anchored the middle overs with a steady 22, but substantial partnerships were hard to come by.

Just as South Africa were looking for a late surge, they lost their five wickets for nine runs in the space of 11 balls, with Sophie Devine taking three of them in the penultimate over of the innings.

Leigh Kasperek contributed with three wickets to become the tournament's highest wicket-taker, with nine scalps.

Suzie Bates, the competition's leading run-scorer, and her opening partner Rachel Priest, the third highest on the run charts, added 57 in just 50 balls to effectively kill the game. Both fell within the space of two overs, though, and Kapp trapped Sara McGlashan soon after, but it was too late.

Devine provided the finishing touches with a 17-ball 27, an innings that featured three fours and a six.