South Africa Emerging Players Women produced another composed performance to defeat Bangladesh Women Emerging Players by seven wickets in the second T20 match at Chatsworth Stadium, Durban, on August 9, 2026. The result gave South Africa a 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with one game still to play.
Chasing 76, South Africa reached 78/3 in just 13.2 overs, with Faye Tunnicliffe playing the decisive innings of an unbeaten 41 off 29 balls. Simone Lourens also remained unbeaten on 22 from 20 deliveries, ensuring there was little late drama for the hosts. Earlier, Bangladesh Women Emerging Players had been restricted to 75/8 from their 20 overs after choosing to bat first, with their innings shaped by several small partnerships rather than one dominant stand.
Bangladesh’s innings got off to a difficult start as Shathi Rani departed without scoring, facing only one ball before being bowled by Caitlin Wyngaard. The early wicket brought Mosammat Eva to the crease, and she initially steadied the innings. Eva added 19 from 18 balls, including three boundaries, while Murshida Khatun contributed two from eight deliveries. The pair helped Bangladesh move through the early overs, but Murshida’s run-out for 2 ended the second-wicket phase with the score at 11/2. Misty Shaha then struggled to get going, scoring only one from 10 balls before Wyngaard accounted for her, leaving Bangladesh at 17/3.
Afia Ashima then joined Eva and provided some much-needed momentum. Afia scored 12 from 21 balls with two fours, while Eva continued to occupy the crease, but the fourth-wicket partnership could add only 24 runs. Afia Ashima being dismissed for 12 off 21, leaving Bangladesh at 41/4. Eva followed soon after, dismissed for 19 off 18, and Bangladesh slipped to 48/5. Jannatul Ferdus added four from 10 balls before she was caught by Chandler, while Halimat Sadia was run out for a duck after five deliveries. Those wickets left Bangladesh in trouble at 50/6 and then 54/7, with South Africa’s bowlers consistently forcing mistakes rather than allowing the batters to settle.
Captain Disha Biswas provided some resistance as the innings entered its final stages. She remained unbeaten on 12 from 19 balls, striking one four, and was joined by Habiba Islam, who scored one from five deliveries before being run out for the eighth wicket at 55. Sabikun Nahar Jesmin then stayed with Disha until the end, contributing an unbeaten five from 23 balls. Their unbroken ninth-wicket partnership was worth 20 runs, allowing Bangladesh to finish on 75/8 after 20 overs. The partnership was particularly important because Bangladesh had been reduced to 55/8, and without those final runs the target would have been even more straightforward.
The South Africa Emerging Players bowling effort was led by Caitlin Wyngaard, who finished with 2/13 from three overs and also bowled four wides. Nthabiseng Nini was particularly economical, taking 1/7 from four overs at an impressive economy rate of 1.75 while conceding four wides. Alexandra Candler picked up 1/9 from three overs, while Miane Smit returned 0/4 from three overs, keeping Bangladesh under considerable pressure. Seshnie Naidu bowled three overs for 18 runs and took one wicket, while Oluhle Siyo delivered one over for 11 without a wicket. Nondumiso Shangase also claimed a wicket, finishing with 1/13 from three overs.
South Africa’s chase began with an early setback when Yasmeen Khan was dismissed for a duck from just one ball, with Habiba Islam taking the wicket. Alexandra Candler then joined Faye Tunnicliffe, but her innings was another patient one, as she made six from 17 deliveries before being caught by Mosammat Eva off the bowling of Disha Biswas. At 8/2, Bangladesh briefly had an opportunity to put the chase under pressure. However, Tunnicliffe remained calm and began to take control of the pursuit. She found the boundary six times during her 29-ball stay and scored at a brisk strike rate of 141.37, turning the momentum firmly in South Africa’s favour.
Miane Smit partnered Tunnicliffe after Candler’s dismissal and added four from 13 balls. The pair put together a crucial 31-run partnership before Smit was caught by Jannatul Ferdus, again leaving Bangladesh with a chance at 39/3. But the required target was already within reach, and Tunnicliffe was now well established. Simone Lourens joined her at the crease and immediately provided the finishing support South Africa needed. The unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership between Tunnicliffe and Lourens was worth 39 runs, taking South Africa from 39/3 to 78/3 in only 5.5 overs.
Tunnicliffe’s unbeaten 41 from 29 balls, featuring six fours, was the standout batting contribution of the South Africa Emerging Players innings, while Lourens’ 22 not out from 20 balls included three boundaries. Together, they ensured the chase never became complicated. Bangladesh’s bowlers had some success early, with Habiba Islam finishing with 1/10 from 3.2 overs and Disha Biswas claiming 1/19 from three overs. Fatema Jahan bowled one over for 10 runs without a wicket, while Jannatul Ferdus took 1/16 from three overs.
Sabikun Nahar Jesmin was the most expensive of the Bangladesh bowlers, conceding 21 runs from her three overs, although she did claim one wicket. Despite those efforts, Bangladesh could not stop the decisive Tunnicliffe-Lourens partnership. South Africa Emerging Players eventually reached 78/3 in 13.2 overs, completing a seven-wicket victory with 40 balls remaining.
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