Updated : Jun 13, 2026 21:50 IST
elcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group A fixture between Australia Women and South Africa Women at Old Trafford. This is Lavanya Lakshminarayananand I will be keeping you company through an important game in Group A’s semifinal conversation. India, Australia and South Africa are vying for two spots in the semifinals from this group. A win today will bolster the victor’s bid for one of those spots.
Australia is expected to romp its way to the knockouts, leaving some heat between India and South Africa for that second spot. If South Africa wins today, expect India to feel just a tad bit warmer in cold England until the job is done.
You can follow our complete Women’s T20 World Cup coverage here. Bookmark us so you know where to come through this month of exciting women’s cricket action.
14th over
Right, Australia are comfortably ahead in the moment and South Africa will need to up the ante soon to stand a chance. Captain Molineux to bowl the 14th over, Wolvaardt takes a single to long off.
Tryon tries to slog the back of a length ball, top edges it up in the air but the ball falls safe of the fielder at deep mid wicket, single. That’s more like it from Wolvaardt, smashes a SIX OVER LONG OFF! South Africa need plenty more of thiss
Wolvaardt goes again but this time it leads to her demise! Charges and hits the ball straight to the fielder at short covers and Wolvaardt has to walk back. Had no choice but to keep attacking with the asking rate having risen over 12. Is that the match for South Africa?
Laura Wolvaardt c Georgia Wareham b Sophie Molineux 44(39) [4s-2 6s-1]
SA 88/4 in 13 overs
Tryon Chloe is the new batter for South Africa. Alana King is brought back into the attack. Two singles off the first two balls.
Wolvaardt tries to whip it on the leg side for four but is stopped by the fielder at mid wicket, its only a single.
Tryon knocks it to covers, dot ball. Inside edge and the ball travels behind the keeper for two runs.
A dot ball to finish.
SA 83/4 in 12 overs
Gardner to bowl the 12th, Wolvaardt charges and hits it down the ground, does not get all of it and oooooh the ball gets just past the diving fielder at mid on for two runs.
Two more runs off the next ball. Wolvaardt sweeps the half volley to deep mid wicket, Kapp is running back for the second to the danger end and she’s caught short of her ground! So unfortunate for Kapp, she was batting so well but she has to walk back!
Marizanne Kapp run out (Georgia Wareham/Ashleigh Gardner) 12(6) [4s-2]
SA 77/3 in 11 overs
Wareham to bowl the 11th over. Wolvaardt charges and hits the slot ball to cow corner for two runs. Wolvaardt picks the fielder at mid wicket, dot ball.
Wolvaardt sweeps the full length delivery to cow corner for a single. Wareham angles it to the pads, Kapp knocks it on the leg side for a single.
Oooooh, Wareham sees Wolvaardt coming out of the crease and bowls it on the wide line outside off stump, Wolvaardt adjusts just in time and throws her bat at it, dot ball.
SA 72/3 in 10 overs
Sutherland continues. Oh what a shot from Kapp, uses the pace of the ball to send it on the leg side over the boundary covers for SIX!
Sutherland bowls it wide outside off stump, Kapp hits it to deep covers for a single. Wolvaardt knocks it to cow corner for two runs.
The South Africa captain makes room and tries to cut the length ball in the gap between short third and short backward point but finds the fielder, dot ball.
Wide from Sutherland. Wolvaardt takes a single. Kapp punches the outside off ball on the offside for FOUR! Sheer timing from Kapp.
SA 59/3 in 9 overs
King continues. Starts with a flipper, drifts onto the stumps, Wolvaardt reacts just in time to get some bat on that, dot ball. Wolvaardt knocks it on the leg side for a single.
Kapp hands the strike back to her captain. Wolvaardt unleashes a sweep to deep mid wicket for two runs.
A dot ball to finish.
SA 55/3 in 8 overs
Ashleigh Gardner is into the attack. Marizanne Kapp is the new batter for South Africa. A dot ball and two singles off the first three balls.
Nice shot from Wolvaardt, makes room and goes over the infield over covers but a good diving effort from Perry from long off saves two runs for her team.
Two more for South Africa. Kapp finishes with a single to long off.
SA 48/3 in 7 overs
Georgia Wareham is into the attack. Starts with a wide down leg side, Wareham will have to bowl that again. Two singles follow.
de Klerk sweeps it behind square on the leg side for a single. Wareham pitches it up, takes the inside edge of de Klerk’s flowing drive to mid wicket for a single.
And gone next ball! de Klerk tries to guide the length ball behind square on the off side, misses it completely and the ball crashes onto the stumps!
Nadine de Klerk b Georgia Wareham 25(22) [4s-1 6s-2]
SA 43/2 in 6 overs
Annabel Sutherland is brought into the attack. Starts with a dot ball. Cheeky from de Klerk, moves across and ramps the outside off delivery past short fine for FOUR!
Swing and a miss from de Klerk but its not collected cleanly by the keeper and South Africa steal a single.
Shot from Wolvaardt, hits it on the up straight down the ground for FOUR! Knuckle ball from Sutherland, Wolvaardt knocks it to covers, dot ball. Dot ball to finish.
SA 34/2 in 5 overs
Alana King is brought into the attack. Ooooh starts with a flipper, takes the top edge of de Klerk’s cut short but the ball falls short of the fielder at short backward point, dot ball.
de Klerk takes two runs. de Klerk sweeps it in the air and would you believe it, one of the best fielders in the Australia outfit puts down a straightforward catch at deep mid wicket! To add insult to injury, the ball goes for SIX!
A dot ball to finish.
SA 22/2 in 4 overs
Garth continues. Back of the length delivery, Woolvardt punches it to deep covers for a single. de Klerk attempts the sweep on the half volley but inside edges it to the keeper, dot ball.
Garth rolls her hand over, de Klerk takes a single. Wolvaardt hits the slot ball straight back to the bowler, dot ball.
Oh leaning edge and the ball flies past the head of the fielder at short third for FOUR!
AUS 16/2 in 3 overs
South Africa desperately need a partnership to avoid a collapse her. Molineux continues, de Klerk is the new batter for South Africa. Wolvaardt takes a single. De Klerk defends first ball, dot.
Dot ball follows. Ooooh arm ball from Molineux rushes onto the pads, de Klerk can only defend, third dot ball of the over.
Oh what a shot! Uses her wrists to good effect to sweep it on the leg side for SIX! Dot ball to finish.
SA 9/2 in 2 overs
Dercksen is the new batter for South Africa. Kim Garth to bowl the second over, she makes history in the process as just the second player to represent two countries at the Women’s T20 World Cup after Scotland’s Kirstie Gordon earlier in the day.
A single and two dot balls of the first three balls. Dercksen plays a glorious lofted shot over mid off for FOUR! Garth gets the last laugh! Clean bowls Dercksen with a pacy back of the length delivery that hits the pads and deflects onto the stumps! Advantage Australia early in the second innings!
Annerie Dercksen b Kim Garth 4(4) [4s-1]
Kim Garth makes history
Pace-bowling all-rounder Kim Garth became the second player to represent two countries in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup.
SA 2/1 in 1 over
Captain Sophie Molineux takes the new ball for Australia, spin to start. Luus and Wolvaardt walk out to begin the chase for South Africa. First ball, confident straight bat defence from Luus.
Two more dot balls and a single of the third ball. Wolvaardt gets off the mark with a single behind square on the leg side.
Short from Molineux, Luus completely misses the pull, hits the pads and the umpire raises her finger! Early breakthrough for Australia!
Sune Luus lbw b Sophie Molineux 1(5)
South Africa need 173 runs to win
Right, it was an innings of two halves within the first 20 in this all-important clash. It was all South Africa in the first ten after its bowlers struck at regular intervals to put Australia on the backfoot.
But Litchfield early on, and a Perry-Wareham partnership helped the six-time champion recover and finish on 172/8 from its 20 overs.
Difficult to say which side will be the happier out of the two but we are in for an exciting run chase in the second innings.
It goes without saying India will be keeping one eye on the contest. Who will come out on top and get its campaign off to a winning start? Stay tuned to find out, second innings to begin shortly.
AUS 172/8 in 20 overs
de Klerk to close things out for the Proteas with the ball. Nice shot from Carey, picks the gap on the off side through covers for FOUR!
Carey takes a single, King on strike. Big appeal for the LBW and the umpire raises the finger! King sends it to the third umpire. That looked plumb for all intents and purposes it has to be said.
King is already walking back before the third umpire’s decision and Australia are nine down with three balls to go!
Annabel Sutherland c Nadine de Klerk b Ayabonga Khaka 21(14) [4s-1 6s-1]
Kim Garth is the last batter for Australia. Garth hits the ball in the air but the catch is put down at long on! Australia takes two runs! Garth takes two more runs.
Last ball of the first innings, terrific delivery to finish, nails the middle stump yorker and its only a single. Australia finish on 172/8 from its 20 overs.
AUS 162/7 in 19 overs
Mlaba to bowl the penultimate over of the first innings. Alana King is the next batter for Australia. Good over from the South African, does not concede a boundary and goes for just seven runs.
AUS 155/7 in 18 overs
Khaka to bowl the 18th. Sutherland takes a single. Carey taps the wide yorker on the off side for a quick single.
Sutherland moves across and goes down the ground for a GLORIOUS SIX! A quick update, attendance in Manchester for today’s game is 7,543. Sutherland tries to find the gap on the offside, finds short covers while playing the cover drive, dot ball.
Half-volley and Sutherland picks the fielder at mid off and she has to walk back! An entertaining cameo comes to an end! Australia seven down now!
Annabel Sutherland c Nadine de Klerk b Ayabonga Khaka 21(14) [4s-1 6s-1]
AUS 147/6 in 17 overs
Right, we are into death overs territory now, can Australia finish with a flourish or will South Africa keep picking up wickets? de Klerk to bowl the 17th.
Carey to takes a single off the first ball. De Klerk pitches it up, Sutherland drills it to deep covers for a single.
Bouncer from de Klerk is well negotiated by a pull shot from Sutherland for FOUR! Pace of delivery from de Klerk, Carey opens the face of the bat and hits it to deep covers for a single.
Low full toss from de Klerk, Sutherland mistimes it, falls safe of the fielder at long on, single to finish.
AUS 137/6 in 16 overs
Mlaba is brought back into the attack. Two runs off the first two balls. Oh gone! Perry plays the sweep onto the stumps and she has to walk back! Huge wicket for South Africa, Mlaba strikes for the second time!
Ellyse Perry b Nonkululeko Mlaba 36(26) [4s-4]
Nicola Carey is the new batter for Australia. Mlaba bowls it down the leg side, wide is called. Carey sweeps, takes the inside edge to short fine for a single. A single to finish the 16th.
AUS 131/5 in 15 overs
Kapp is back into the attack. A single and a dot ball off the first two balls. Brief discussion between the captain and the bowler, this is interesting, the umpires change the ball after Kapp used her spikes to stop the previous delivery.
Play resumes and woah, that’s a high full toss, gets the treatment from Perry who charges and puts it away on the leg side for FOUR! The third umpire will have a look for the waist-high no ball. Fair delivery.
In the arc, Perry drills it down the ground for two runs. Perry takes a single on the leg side. Sutherland drives the half-volley elegantly to deep covers for a single.
AUS 121/5 in 14 overs
Khaka’s expensive over takes her out of the attack and de Klerk is brought in in her place. Change of attack does not translate to a change in fortunes as Wareham starts with TWO FOURS! The runs continue to flow from the willows of Wareham and Perry!
WHAT A STUNNING CATCH! Wareham absolutely creams the cover drive on the half-volley in the air but captain Wolvaardt takes an incredible diving catch to dismiss Wareham! The captain leading from the front! Much-need breakthrough for the Proteas!
Georgia Wareham c Laura Wolvaardt b Nadine de Klerk 32(22) [4s-6]
Annabel Sutherland is the new batter for Australia. AND SHE IS DISMISSED FOR A GOLDEN DUCK! Nicks the wide half-volley and the keeper completes a good catch! But wait a minute Sutherland is not entirely convinced she has nicked it and takes the review.
Sutherland gets the review bang on, no bat involved and she survives. Sutherland gets off the mark with a single to long on.
AUS 112/4 in 13 overs
Tryon is brought on. Perry starts with a boundary! Australia are counter-attacking here!
Cheeky from Wareham, nails the switch hit over the head of short backward point for FOUR! Tryon pitches it up, Wareham sweeps it to deep mid wicket for a single.
Perry knocks the length ball to cow corner for a single. Tryon bowls it a touch slower through the air, Wareham cuts to deep point for a single. Another good over for the Australians, they score 12 off the 13th.
AUS 100/4 (12)
Khaka is back into the attack. Starts with a poor delivery down the leg side, Perry easily puts it away behind square for FOUR! Perry knocks it on the leg side for a single.
Wareham guides the length ball to deep square leg for a single. Perry punches the back of a length delivery off her backfoot to cow corner for FOUR RUNS! Fielder at long on tries her best but can’t stop the boundary!
Back of the hand ball from Khaka and Wareham carves the gap on the leg side between the two fielders for FOUR! Expensive over from the South African, 15 off that.
AUS 85/4 (11)
Nadine de Klerk into the attack now and she almost saw the back of Ellyse Perry. Tries to clear the deep midwicket fence. Chloe Tryon gets into position but doesn’t get a hand on it. Costly this. Was tough too with the wind making ball movement hard to guauge. Lucky to survive is the Aussie veteran. Six from the 11th.
AUS 79/4 (10)
Mlaba returns. Wareham whipped out the sweep for four but it has been a quiet over otherwise. Both these batters want to settle rather than fall for the nerves a few quick dismissals will trigger.
AUS 71/4 (9)
More spin. Chloe Tryon comes on. After a few quick singles, Wareham gets a boundary through cover. Marizanne Kapp riding the boundary there, but predictably doesn’t do much. Why does South Africa use her in diving positions? Eight runs come off this Tryon over.
AUS 63/4 (8) - GARDNER GOES, MLABA STRIKES
Mlaba into the attack and takes out Ashleigh Gardner in her second delivery! What a moment in the game. Gave Gardner width and height and she smacks it straight to Laura Wolvaardt at cover.
WICKET Ashleigh Gardner c Wolvaardt b Mlaba 1 (3b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33
Georgia Wareham is the new batter. Ellyse Perry is watching partners come and go quite helplessly from the other end right now. Mlaba is getting some turn on this strip. Great start by the Protean spinner. One run given and that big wicket of Ash Gardner.
AUS 62/3 (7) - FIFTY AND OUT FOR LITCHFIELD
Ayabonga Khaka into the attack. The Australians have found rhythm now with Litchfield singflehandedly leading the way. Khaka is smacked for back to back boundaries, getting to her fifty in just 23 balls. A massive high five to Ellyse Perry as Australia rebuilds. Big smiles too.
Khaka has the last laugh. SHE GETS LITCHFIELD. She drops the pace and goes a bit fuller. Litchfield looks for elevation on the off side but there’s Laura Wolvaardt there to pouch a simple catch. Gone after a blinder!
WICKET Phoebe Litchfield c Wolvaardt b Khaka 50 (24b 9x4 1x6) SR: 208.33
10 runs and that key wicket from this over.
AUS 52/2 (6)
Ismail to finish the PowerPlay. Litchfield dispatches her for four. Lovely drive through cover. She is so good to watch, this Aussie youngster. Ismail’s wider lines continue. She goes a tad too full and Litchfield lunges at this with enough power to send it between point and backward point. Back to back fours. Momentum shifting a bit towards Australia now. Litchfield has an idea of the bounce and lines Ismail is deploying and now slogs this to the square leg fence for six. Expensive over this is turning out to be. 4-4-6. Ismail is bowling against the wind, can’t be easy for the control she wants. Another wide. Tightened that one nicely to the middle stump. 112 kmph. No run.
17 runs conceded in that over. You can see it on Ismail’s face. She is not happy as she walks off the field.
AUS 35/2 (5)
Pace continues in this PowerPlay. Kapp with a straight stump-headed delivery with Litchfield tries to muscle for a no-look six. But the wind is on South Africa’s side and that ball falls short of the ropes. Only two runs. She then heaves Kapp to the deep backward square fence. Crisp strokeplay from Litchfield. She then uses her feet to pierce the off-side field between point and backward point. Fuller delivery from Kapp. Half volley, manouvred away by Litchfield. Kapp under pressure now. Litchfield is now stepping out confidently against Kapp. Doesn’t connect and is beaten by the outswing Kapp is managing. 11 runs from this Kapp over.
AUS 24/2 (4) - Ismail gets Litchfield
Movement for Shabnim. Litchfield nearly gifts an edge to Jafta.
But the bounce from the Old Trafford strip allows Litchfield to smack a slightly shorter delivery from Shabnim past square leg for four. CRACKING shot. Sweet sound off the bat. Ismail goes a tad faster, 115kmph, but a bit too wide outside off. Umpire raises her arms. She then deploys the bouncer. Litchfield makes contact, but Jafta can’t quite reach it properly. It runs away for four. 119 kmph that delivery. Ooof! Ismail hunting for that wicket.
ISMAIL WILL GET IT AND IT’S THE DANGEROUS BETH MOONEY. Movement for Ismail. Mooney nicks it and Jafta dives to her left to take a good catch. Big wicket this.
WICKET Beth Mooney c †Jafta b Ismail 7 (9b 1x4 0x6) SR: 77.77
AUS 14/1 (3)
Kapp now. Singles from this pair. They need to keep the scoreboard ticking. South Africa has tight fields and is not allowing much room. Litchfield was nearly run out in pursuit of one of those high-risk singles.
Australia will get her boundary through, Mooney swats it through midwicket for four to ease out some of the pressure.
AUS 7/1 (2)
Litchfield the new batter. Shabnim Ismail back in South African colours at a World Cup. She’s throwing those in the 113-114kmph range. Litchfield is back in AUssie colours for the first time since April. She has pace and bounce from Ismail to use as she nudges the ball between slip cordon for four. She then tries to smack a rising ball to the backward V but fudges it. Gentle top edge that falls safe. CATCH IT was the cry.
Stump line from Shabnim. No chance to get it away at all. Six runs from this over for Australia.
AUS 1/1 (1) - Voll falls for a duck on World Cup debut
Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney take guard for Australia. Marizanne Kapp to open the bowling for Australia. Off that second ball itself, that gentle outswinger comes in from Kapp. Beth Mooney brought the bat down in defence but that ball grazed it and went just above the off stump bail. Beautiful bowling.
THE QUEEN OF POWERPLAY STRIKES. Kapp gets VOLL. MASSIVE WICKET. Cramps Voll for space but with height. She tries to swerve the ball to the leg side, but mistimes it to short midwicket with Kayla Reyneke taking a nice low catch. Had to run to get that too. Clean.
WICKET Georgia Voll c Reyneke b Kapp 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0
Here are your playing XIs for this game
Australia: Beth Mooney (wk), Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Ashleigh Gardner, Georgia Wareham, Annabel Sutherland, Nicola Carey, Sophie Molineux (capt), Kim Garth, Alana King
Litchfield fit to play. Kim Garth will now become the 2nd player to play for two countries in this World Cup’s history.
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, Kayla Reyneke, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka
Shabnim in. No Dane van Niekerk.
TOSS: Australia wins the toss opts to bat in Manchester
Molineux opts to bat at Old Trafford, says she expects the surface to get a bit slower as the match goes on.
More importantly, Phoebe Litchfield will play today. Big boost for the Aussies. Shabnim Ismail will start for South Africa.
Earlier in Mancherster: A Scottish delight
Right before this game, Scotland sealed its maiden T20 World Cup win with a 40-run triumph over Ireland. This is Scotland’s second World Cup appearance in this format. Incredible scenes! A triumph where skipper Kathryn Bryce led from the front with bat and ball.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 13: Kathryn Bryce of Scotland celebrates with her teammates after dismissing Alana Dalzell of Ireland during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup England & Wales 2026 match between Scotland and Ireland at Old Trafford Cricket Ground on June 13, 2026 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
An incredible part from this game was Kirstie Gordon. She became the first player in the history of the tournament to have represented two nations (she has represented England before). That three-wicket over shut the door firmly on the Irish. Incidentally, her last appearance in this tournament was in the 2018 final between England and Australia.
Hello India fans! Who are you rooting for?
Yes, you. The faithfuls of the Indian team in this tournament will want to keep a close eye on proceedings at Old Trafford. A three-way fight with Australia and South Africa for two semifinal berths from this group A will see first glimpses of movement when the finalists of the 2023 edition clash in Manchester.
We will bring you all the updates from the game and more. Stay with us.
Published on Jun 13, 2026
Sign in to unlock all user benefits
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。