DUBAI: South Africa cruised to a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh to edge closer to the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-finals on Saturday although their tournament destiny lies in the hands of England and West Indies.

After limiting Bangladesh to just 106-3 in 20 overs, South Africa reached their target with 16 balls to spare.

With three wins and one defeat, they sit top of Group ‘B’ with six points. However, 2009 champions England, with two wins so far and with two games still to play, are likely to secure one of the semi-final spots.

That would leave South Africa and West Indies vying for the last place.

West Indies, the 2016 champions, have four points but a better net run-rate than South Africa although the Caribbean side have to face England in their concluding pool game on Tuesday.

Player-of-the-match Tazmin Brits steered 2023 runners-up South Africa to victory on Saturday with a steady 42 off 41 balls, an innings which featured five fours.

Anneke Bosch made a run-a-ball 25 before Marizanne Kapp (13 not out) and Chloe Tryon (14 not out) saw their side home.

Bangladesh had won the toss and chose to bat but lost opener Dilara Akter off the second ball for nought.

The Asian side struggled to make any headway against the South African attack.

Sobhana Mostary top-scored but her 38 took 43 balls with skipper Nigar Sultana making an undefeated 32 from 38 deliveries.

Kapp claimed 1-10 from her four overs of medium pace while Nonkululeko Mlaba finished with 1-11.

Off-break bowler Mlaba has enjoyed an impressive tournament with the ball and has nine wickets from four games, making her the leading wicket-taker.

NZ STAY IN LAST-FOUR RACE

Earlier on Saturday, New Zealand eased past winless Sri Lanka in Sharjah to keep alive their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Set a target of 115, New Zealand cruised to victory.

Georgia Plimmer, a 20-year-old opener, hit 53 before captain Sophie Devine smashed the only six of the match to take her team to 118 for two with 15 balls left.

New Zealand stayed third in Group ‘A’ behind Australia, who have won all their games, and India, who have a superior run-rate despite New Zealand’s late surge on Saturday.

Devine said the White Ferns did not discuss run-rate before starting their chase.

“We know that winning the game was the most important thing,” she said.

Australia and India meet in their last group game on Sunday and New Zealand face Pakistan on Monday.

“We see how results play out tomorrow and we have our final game against Pakistan and by that point we’ll know exactly where we stand and what’s going to be required,” said Devine.

Sri Lanka, who came into the tournament as Asian champions but then lost their first three games, opted to bat.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu opened and made the top score of 35 as her team passed 100 for the first time in the tournament, reaching 115 for five wickets.

New Zealand started carefully. Opener Suzie Bates hit one four in her 17.

Despite scoring at almost a run a ball, Plimmer hit only four fours and had to run for most of her 53 on a day when temperatures hit 39 degrees Celsius.

When she finally went for power and took to the air, she was caught in the deep mid-wicket by Nilakshi de Silva off the bowling of Athapaththu.

Amelia Kerr, who hit 34 to follow her two wickets, and Devine, who made 13, sped New Zealand to victory with a late flurry of boundaries.

Brief scores:

South Africa beat Bangladesh by seven wickets.

BANGLADESH 106-3 in 20 overs (Sobhana Mostary 38, Nigar Sultana 32 not out; Marizanne Kapp 1-10, Nonkululeko Mlaba 1-11); SOUTH AFRICA 107-3 in 17.2 overs (Tazmin Brits 42, Anneke Bosch 25; Fahima Khatun 2-19)

New Zealand beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets.

SRI LANKA 115-5 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 35, Harshitha Samarawickrama 18; Leigh Kasperek 2-27, Amelia Kerr 2-18); NEW ZEALAND 118-2 in 17.3 overs: Georgia Plimmer 53, Amelia Kerr 34 not out; Sachini Nisansala 1-14, Chamari Athapaththu 1-8).

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2024