South Africa secured their place in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinals after India fell to Australia by six wickets in the final Group 1 clash at Lord's, London, on Sunday. With only the top two teams from each group progressing, the Proteas' fate hinged on that result, and Australia delivered.

Earlier in the day, South Africa had battled to a four-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the same venue, lifting them above India in the group standings. They finished second with eight points from five matches and a net run rate of 0.633, behind group-toppers Australia. Their reward? A semifinal date with hosts England at The Oval on Thursday.

For a team that reached just one semifinal across the first six editions (back in 2014), this marks South Africa's fourth consecutive appearance in the last four, a remarkable run of consistency. Victory against England would propel them into their third straight final.

The Proteas needed Australia to beat India to stay alive; an Indian win would have knocked them out on net run rate. And despite India posting a challenging 171, the six-time champions overcame an early stutter to chase it down with an over to spare, handing South Africa the ticket they desperately wanted.

Earlier, South Africa's own chase against Bangladesh was far from straightforward. Set 118 to win, they stumbled to 113 for 6 with one over left, needing five off the final six balls. Enter Chloe Tryon, who edged a boundary and scrambled a single to guide her team over the line and into the semifinals.

The match also witnessed a historic milestone: veteran pacer Shabnim Ismail became the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20 World Cup history, claiming her 49th scalp in the tournament.