There have not been many times since Australia won the last T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2020 that the team has looked beatable. Since that memorable win in front of a record crowd, Australia has only lost three T20 internationals - two to New Zealand and one to India via a super over in late 2022. Australia have always been a dominant team, but that win seemed to set them on a course of becoming near-indestructible.
There are also not many ways to beat Australia. Opposition teams must feel trapped in a horror movie at times - they manage to take quick early wickets and dismiss the openers cheaply, only to have more batters rise up and take on the game. They smash the frontline fast bowlers out of the match, only for captain Meg Lanning to pull an ace from her never-ending list of bowling options.
Australia has not lost a semi-final of a T20 World Cup since the tournament’s first iteration in 2009. They are big game players, born for the world stage. And yet, during Thursday’s semi final against India there were times when they looked beatable. While their batting was solid and they started well with the ball, taking three wickets in the first four overs, India refused to let them cruise to victory. Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath only bowled one over each, going for 14 and 13 respectively. Of the seven bowlers used, only Darcie Brown had an economy rate of under six an over.
Although India did not manage to pull off the win in the end - losing Harmanpreet Kaur to an unfortunate run out in the 15th over when she was dominating the game played a big part, as did late wickets from Jess Jonassen and Ash Gardner – they did what so few teams have managed to do in the last three years: they unsettled the Australians. They forced them to rethink, regather and reshuffle. They gave them reason to worry.
As the final against South Africa looms, perhaps the scare was exactly what Australia needed to energise them. Having easily defeated their final opponents during the pool games through a stifling bowling performance, there is a chance complacency may have crept in. But the awareness that it all could have gone differently in the semi-final were it not for a few key moments, that they could have just as easily been sitting in the stands watching the game as being out on the field playing in it, will no doubt have added some extra motivation.
While Australia will go into the final as favourites, they will be wary of South Africa. After a rough start to the tournament, the home side have rallied and no one expected them to even be in a position to challenge the final. Riding on a wave of elation after a six-run win over England in the semi-final and buoyed by a passionate home crowd, there is every chance they could lift the World Cup if things go their way.
It will not be easy – nothing ever is against the indomitable Australians. In the back of everyone’s minds will be the fact that South Africa has never beaten Australia in a T20 international. But the Proteas showed in their semi-final win against England just how well they can perform when the pressure is off and no one expects them to be in the contest.
All eyes will be on Shabnim Ismail, the ‘pocket rocket’ fast bowler who stirred up England’s batters with speeds of up to 128km/h and figures of 3-27 in the semi-final. At only 165cm, she is far from the typical image of a pace bowler. But she is strong, determined and has the ability to bowl South Africa into a winning position.
If they are to give themselves a chance at victory, it is their batting performance that needs to lift in the final. After only managing 124 runs in their first outing against Australia, more will be needed this time around. Marizanne Kapp will be desperate to contribute after a second-ball duck last time the teams met and the firepower is there if the home team does not allow itself to be smothered.
Australia will be confident – they are not a team that allows themselves to panic. They know that simply playing their natural game will likely be enough to secure another World Cup. But if South Africa are able to take some lessons from the semi-final and seize on those glimpses of Australia appearing beatable, they have the opportunity to write themselves into history.
