Australia have kicked off their T20 World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, thrashing South Africa by 65 runs in Manchester.
After Phoebe Litchfield’s 24-ball 50 set up Australia’s 8-172 at Old Trafford, their four-strong spin attack ran riot to dismantle the Proteas for 107 in 16.4 overs.
Skipper Sophie Molineux (2-17) and leg-spinners Georgia Wareham (3-13) and Alana King (2-26) took six wickets between them, to hand Australia a dream start to the tournament over the team that knocked them out of the 2024 semi-finals.
Wareham had earlier chipped in with a crucial 32 from 22 balls, ensuring the Proteas would need to pull off a record T20 World Cup chase.
Molineux opened the Australian bowling innings with her left-arm orthodox spin and struck with her fifth delivery, a ball that skidded on to trap Proteas opener Sune Luus (1) on the back leg, with the Proteas opener wisely electing not to review.
Kim Garth then made it two in as many overs; after being dispatched to the boundary by Annerie Dercksen, she responded with a superb delivery that ricocheted off the Proteas first drop’s back pad and onto the stumps.
It left South Africa in early trouble at 2-7, and their position could have been far more dire had Ashleigh Gardner not dropped Nadine de Klerk, on 11 at the time, over the boundary in the fifth over.
De Klerk’s aggression saw South Africa recover to 2-43 at the end of the Powerplay but the introduction of Wareham in the seventh over brought about her downfall as she was bowled for 25.
While Laura Wolvaardt remained in the middle the Proteas’ hopes were well and truly alive, and she steadied the chase alongside Marizanne Kapp to see South Africa to 3-72, needing another 101 runs at 10 an over, at the midway point of the chase.
Wareham emphasised her triple-threat status with a brilliant throw from the deep to run Kapp out for 12 in the 12th over, and when Molineux got Wolvaardt for 44 shortly after – via a brilliant low catch from Wareham at cover – Australia were well on track.
From there it was a procession, South Africa losing their final six wickets for just 11 runs to be bowled out in the 17th over.
Speaking after the match, de Klerk said she felt Australia’s spin-heavy approach had given them the edge.
“The only difference was maybe the fact that they had four spinners and we went a bit more with pace, and I think pace on that wicket was definitely easier to face,” she said.
“They played very well, they outplayed us – I think that the spinners were probably the difference.”
Earlier, Litchfield led the way with a 23-ball half-century as Australia posted 8-172.
Kapp had Georgia Voll looking uncomfortable at the crease and the pressure paid off as she had the Australian opener holing out for a four-ball duck in the opening over of the match.
Voll’s opening partner Beth Mooney (7) had been on a hot streak since arriving in the United Kingdom, but Shabnim Ismail claimed her prized wicket in the fourth over, with the left-hander slashing at a wider delivery and edging behind, leaving Australia 2-24.
Litchfield, who had come into the match under an injury cloud after missing both warm-up games with a quad niggle, immediately took on the South African quicks with an array of drives, pulls, sweeps and scoops to see Australia to 2-52 at the end of the Powerplay.
Her half-century came off just 23 deliveries, the second quickest for Australia in women’s T20 World Cups, but the 23-year-old was infuriated with herself one ball later as she mistimed a slower delivery from Ayabonga Khaka, holing out to Wolvaardt at cover.
Gardner’s stay in the middle lasted just three deliveries before she bunted a catch directly to mid-off off the bowling of Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Ellyse Perry (36 from 26) and Wareham ensured the momentum swing back in the Proteas’ favour was a brief one, regularly finding the boundary during a 58-run fifth-wicket stand.
Wareham’s charge ended via a very sharp grab from Wolvaardt at cover in the 14th over, and Perry chopped Mlaba on the following over, leaving Australia 6-133.
“We were in trouble at the start but the way the girls bounced back and climbed over it in our bowling innings, we are really pleased with it,” Molineux said.
“We have a top and middle order that can play all round the park, and bat the best when they take it on.
“It’s great to see them play with freedom.”
Australia had selected an ultra-deep batting line-up for the Manchester match and they called on almost all of them, with Annabel Sutherland (21) and Nicola Carey (13no) adding handy late runs to see Australia to 8-172.
Those selections saw vice-captain Tahlia McGrath and veteran pace bowler Megan Schutt left on the sidelines alongside left-arm quick Lucy Hamilton and the powerful Grace Harris.
Carey was named for her first T20 World Cup appearance since the 2020 tournament on home soil, while Garth became just the second woman to play T20 World Cup matches for two countries, after Kirstie Gordon became the first earlier in the day playing for Scotland.
Australia will travel to Leeds on Sunday, ahead of their second group match against Bangladesh at Headingley on Wednesday, while the Proteas’ next stop is Birmingham to play Pakistan.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Australia squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Grace Harris, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham. Travelling reserve: Tahlia Wilson
Australia’s Group 1 fixtures
June 13: beat South Africa by 65 runs
June 17: v Bangladesh, Headingley, Leeds, 7:30pm AEST
June 20: v Netherlands, Rose Bowl, Hampshire, 7:30pm AEST
June 24: v Pakistan, Headingley, Leeds, 3:30am AEST
June 28: v India, Lord’s, London, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 1: The Oval, London, June 30, 11:30pm AEST
Semi-final 2: The Oval, London, July 2 (3:30am July 3 AEST)
Final: Lord’s, London, July 5, 11:30pm AEST
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
