England reach final as Nat Sciver-Brunt, Knight take control

England beat South Africa by 40 runs in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final at The Oval on July 2, 2026, to book a spot in the final vs Australia at Lord's. Early collapse: South Africa chose to bowl and reduced England to 23/3 in 4 overs. Shabnim Ismail took her 50th T20 World Cup wicket removing Amy Jones first ball, and Marizanne Kapp dismissed in-form Danni Wyatt-Hodge 12 and Alice Capsey.

The England captains present and past combined for a 133-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 90 balls to rescue their side from a perilous 23 for 3 and set up a 40-run win. It was the highest partnership for any wicket in a Women's T20 World Cup semi-final and the second-highest at this edition of the tournament, earning them the right to face Australia in Sunday's title decider at Lord's.

Sciver-Brunt, back in the side after missing three games with a recurrence of a calf injury, smashed 75 off 47, and Knight 58 off 47, before an all-round effort by England's bowlers held South Africa to 129 for 8 in reply to 169 for 5, vanquishing the hosts' poor record in global semi-finals between them in recent times.

An early onslaught from Shabnim Ismail and Marizanne Kapp had England in trouble at the end of the powerplay, the hosts' equal worst for that phase of play in the tournament alongside their second game, against Ireland. Kapp conceded just one boundary on her way to 1 for 16 off her four overs and Ismail ended with 2 for 31.

Sciver-Brunt & Knight rescue: Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, back from a calf strain that kept her out of 3 group games, made 75 off 47 balls with 11 fours and 1 six. Heather Knight added 58 off 47. They shared 133 runs in 90 balls for the 4th wicket – the highest partnership in a Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final and the 2nd-highest in the tournament.

England finish 169/5: After a slow start, they accelerated to post 169/5. Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/24 removed both set batters late.South Africa fall short: Despite Tazmin Brits’ 51 off 45, SA were restricted to 129/8. Lauren Bell 2/28 and Charlie Dean 2/31 led England’s bowling, with sharp fielding throughout.

Ismail became the first woman with 50 wickets at T20 Women's World Cups when she struck first ball to remove England opener Amy Jones. Ismail started in the second over of the match with a short ball which reared from outside off stump as Jones leaned back to cut and sent a leading edge straight to Annerie Dercksen at cover point. Since her half-century against Sri Lanka on the opening night of the tournament, Jones has had a wretched run with the bat, scoring 36 runs across her five subsequent innings with a highest score of 17.

England reach their 5th Women’s T20 World Cup final, first since 2018.They’ll face 6-time champions Australia at Lord’s on July 5, 2026. Both teams are unbeaten. Sciver-Brunt was Player of the Match and equaled the record for most 50+ scores in Women’s T20 World Cups with 8.

Knight and Sciver-Brunt held straightforward chances, including the wicket of Tazmin Brits for a fighting 51, and while Charlie Dean missed a chance off Dercksen running back from mid-off and jumping with her left arm outstretched, it would have been a spectacular effort if it came off. Wyatt-Hodge's direct hit from backward point to run out Sinalo Jafta in the penultimate over epitomised England's gains in confidence and execution in the field at this tournament.