South Africa defeat Pakistan by two wickets in Women's T20 World Cup 2026

South Africa secured their first victory at the Women's T20 World Cup by beating Pakistan by two wickets in a tense Group Two match.

Match result and context South Africa claimed their opening win at the Women's T20 World Cup by defeating Pakistan by a narrow two-wicket margin at Edgbaston. The Proteas had suffered a heavy defeat to tournament favorites Australia in their first outing, placing them under pressure in a tough group featuring recent 50-over world champions India. Their victory came after Pakistan's top order crumbled spectacularly, collapsing to 29 for five wickets before sliding further to 50 for eight. The match saw South Africa bounce back from their earlier setback with a combination of disciplined bowling and resilient batting. ## Key bowling performance Marizanne Kapp, the veteran all-rounder, made an immediate impact on the game by claiming two wickets in the opening over. Her spell continued to trouble Pakistan as erratic running between the wickets gifted South Africa three additional wickets. Kapp finished with bowling figures of three wickets for 23 runs, playing a crucial role in restricting Pakistan to a total of 126 for nine. Her ability to strike early and maintain pressure set the tone for South Africa's bowling effort. ## Pakistan's late resistance Pakistan's innings was rescued by a determined half-century from captain Fatima Sana, who remained unbeaten on 55 runs from 38 deliveries. She added 71 runs for the ninth wicket alongside Tuba Hassan to steer her team to a competitive total. Fatima's innings included two sixes off the final over bowled by Nadine de Klerk, which yielded 19 runs. Despite her efforts, Pakistan's top order collapse proved too difficult to overcome. ## South Africa's challenging chase South Africa found the chase far from straightforward as they lost wickets at regular intervals while pursuing the target. Annerie Dercksen's composed half-century, scoring 52 runs from 35 balls, provided a solid foundation for the innings. Nadine de Klerk contributed 37 runs, proving vital in keeping South Africa within reach of victory with just over three overs remaining. Their batting will need significant improvement to compete with India and Australia at the top of the group. ## Historical final appearances The Proteas have reached the finals of the past two T20 World Cups, only to suffer defeats on both occasions. They lost the final in 2023 to Australia and again in 2024 to New Zealand. South Africa's recent finals heartbreak contrasts with their strong start in this tournament, where they aim to break their losing streak. Pakistan, meanwhile, have lost two matches so far, following their defeat to India on the previous Sunday. ## Scoreboard summary | Team | Score | Overs | Result | |---|---|---|---| | Pakistan | 126-9 | 20 | Lost | | South Africa | 127-8 | 16.4 | Won |