New Zealand and South Africa stun the favourites to battle it out for women’s T20 World Cup. – BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE. (eLanka Sports Editor).
Australia’s hope for back to back World Cups were derailed by a shocking capitulation to a fired up South Africa when they were knocked out in the semi final in Dubai.
Always the benchmark of the World game, the tournament marked the emergence of new powerhouses in South Africa and New Zealand who left the favourites Australia, India, England, and West Indies in their wake.
Winners of the last three T20 World Cups, Australia looked on track for another conquest until they proved that fallibility does happen to the best.
It opens a refreshing new perception and focus as teams such as West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh close the gap on the best teams promising closer contests in future engagements between the top seven or so teams. Ireland has also shown plenty of promise.
Australia were inexplicably off colour in this game battling to get on top of a focussed South Africa attack that was bent on containing them. They achieved this in no uncertain terms making the target gettable for their batters.
South Africa waded into the challenge and all frayed nerves of not making it dissipated when skipper Laura Wolvart and Bosch ripped into Australia’s potent attack scattering them to all parts in a lusty run chase.
West Indies, who recently gave Sri Lanka a fright at home before going down, surged as a potential new champion against South Africa but fell a step before the summit to a well drilled New Zealand.
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The Kiwis also came in to the tournament with mixed fortunes losing at home to Sri Lanka but now remain on the cusp of World Cup glory. They found form when it mattered to edge out West Indies by 8 runs in a tense semi final.
For all that success pre tournament, Sri Lanka returned home winless in their group mirroring the glorious uncertainty of this format and the closing gap.
It all points to a facinating final between two new contenders. The winner proclaiming a new challenger to the elite.
