LONDON: Unbeaten England Women set up a mouth-watering ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 final with undefeated Australia Women when they defeated South Africa Women by 40 runs at The Oval on Thursday.

Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight stroked impressive half-centuries to lift the home side to 169 for five before England’s bowlers did the rest, restricting South Africa to 129 for eight.

Sunday’s final at Lord’s will be the fourth time these Ashes rivals have locked horns in a Women’s T20 World Cup title match — and the first since 2018. Australia won all three previous encounters: by four runs in 2012, by six wickets in 2014, and by eight wickets in the 2018 final at North Sound, Antigua.

At Lord’s on Sunday, Australia will chase a record seventh title, while England will aim to win their second — having claimed their maiden crown on home soil in the inaugural edition in 2009. The winners will take home USD 2.34 million, with the runners-up receiving USD 1.17 million. South Africa and West Indies — the losing semi-finalists — will each receive USD 675,000.

Sent into bat, England were in early trouble at 23 for three in the fourth over before Sciver-Brunt and Knight produced a match-winning 133-run fourth-wicket partnership from just 90 balls. The stand did not end until the 19th over, when Sciver-Brunt fell for a blistering 47-ball 75 with 11 fours and a six. Two balls later Knight also departed for 58 from 47 balls with six fours and a six — but by then the damage was done, and England were set fair on 169 for five.

The innings told a clear story of intelligent pacing. England reached 35 for three inside the Powerplay, collected 81 more in the next nine overs, and then plundered 53 from the last five — a crescendo that reflected precisely how well the current and former captains read the situation and each other.

For South Africa, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Shabnim Ismail claimed two wickets apiece, conceding 25 and 31 runs respectively, while Marizanne Kapp was the most economical bowler with one for 16 from four overs.

South Africa made a brisk start, racing to 43 for one inside six overs — a stronger Powerplay than England had managed — but England’s bowlers continued to pick up crucial wickets at regular intervals, denying the last event’s losing finalists the partnerships they needed to build a serious chase.

Opener Tazmin Brits top-scored with a composed 51 from 45 balls with six fours, but she received precious little support. Laura Wolvaardt scored 17, Sune Luus 11, Chloe Tyron 10, Nadine de Klerk 14 not out, Marizanne Kapp five and Annerie Dercksen three — a collective failure that made Brits’ effort ultimately inconsequential.

All five frontline England bowlers claimed wickets. Lauren Bell and Charlie Dean bagged two apiece, while Freya Kemp, Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith each took one.

Scores in brief:

2nd semi-final — England Women beat South Africa Women by 40 runs, The Oval

ENGLAND WOMEN 169-5, 20 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 75, Heather Knight 58; Shabnim Ismail 2-31, Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-25)

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN 129-8, 20 overs (Tazmin Brits 51, Laura Wolvaardt 17; Lauren Bell 2-28, Charlie Dean 2-31)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH — Nat Sciver-Brunt (England)

FINAL — Australia Women v England Women, Lord’s, Sunday 5 July

1st semi-final — Australia Women beat West Indies Women by eight wickets, The Oval