England Defeat South Africa by 40 Runs to Reach ICC Women's T20 World Cup Final
Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight's record partnership at The Oval propelled England into Sunday's showpiece final against Australia at Lord's.
The story
At a packed Kennington Oval in London, England secured their place in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 final with a commanding 40-run victory over South Africa. Electing to field first after winning the toss, South Africa's Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail made early inroads, reducing England to 23/3 in the powerplay. However, Nat Sciver-Brunt, returning from injury, and captain Heather Knight steadied the innings with a record-breaking 133-run partnership for a T20 World Cup semi-final. Sciver-Brunt scored a crucial 75 off 47 balls, while Knight contributed 58 off 47 deliveries, helping England post a challenging total of 169/5.
In response, South Africa struggled to build momentum despite a fighting half-century from Tazmin Brits, who made 51. England's bowlers maintained tight lines and picked up wickets at regular intervals, with Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean each claiming two wickets. South Africa ultimately finished their innings at 129/8, falling well short of the target. The win sets up a blockbuster final between the hosts England and six-time champions Australia at Lord's on Sunday.
Latest results
| Match | Format | Result | Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| England vs South Africa | WT20I | England won by 40 runs | Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng) 75 (47) & Nonkululeko Mlaba (SA) 2/25 (4) |
Series in play
ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. Finalists confirmed: England to face Australia on July 5.
India Women tour of England 2026. The five-match T20I series is currently 0-0 after the first match was abandoned due to rain.
Tables that matter
| Competition | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ICC Women's T20I Team Rankings | 1. Australia, 2. England, 3. India | Australia leads the global T20I rankings, followed by finalists England and India. |
| ICC Women's T20I Batting Rankings | 1. Georgia Voll (AUS) | Australia's Georgia Voll maintains her top position among T20I batters. |
| ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings | 1. N Sree Charani (IND) | India's N Sree Charani holds the top spot in the T20I bowling rankings. |
| ICC Women's Championship | 1. Australia, 2. England | Australia and England currently occupy the top two positions in the championship standings. |
What we'll be watching
- England vs India, 2nd T20I, India Women tour of England 2026, Manchester (July 4, 2026)
- TBC vs TBC, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Final, Lord's, London (July 5, 2026)
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