Tazmin Brits says the Proteas have nothing to fear in the final after producing a match-winning performance in the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final against England at Newlands on Friday.
Brits hit 68 in a South African total of 164-4, then held four catches, two of them exceptional, as England were restricted to 158-8.
“I still can’t believe it,” she told journalists after the South African players performed a lap of honour for a boisterous crowd of 7,500 after upsetting the odds with a shock victory.
South Africa will meet Australia in the final at the same venue on Sunday.
“Australia might be the top team but you play the ball and not the players,” she said of the five-time champions.
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Experienced all-rounder Marizanne Kapp took a more measured view.
“We have to get the emotion of today out of it and get ready for Sunday,” she said. “We know how tough Australia are.”
England captain Heather Knight acknowledged the performance of the hosts which made them the first South African team – male or female – to reach a white-ball World Cup final.
“South Africa bowled brilliantly,” said England captain Heather Knight. “They had a very clear, simple plan, took a lot of pace off and made it very tricky to score boundaries.”
But Knight said she believed England’s attacking strategy under new coach Jon Lewis was the right way to play.
“It’s certainly the way forward,” she said. “Unfortunately it didn’t come off today but the future looks bright.”
Friday’s clash matched Australia’s five-run win over India on Thursday for excitement but with a considerable increase in decibels as the home crowd got behind the host nation.
Brits and Laura Wolvaardt (53) followed up their unbeaten century opening stand in the last pool match against Bangladesh by putting on 96 for the first wicket in 13.4 overs.
England threatened to make light of the target when Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley raced to 53 in the first five overs. But Brits said South Africa did not panic.
“There were a lot of nicks and stuff like that,” she said. “We knew we just had to stick to the basics.”
