Dercksen’s fifty earns South Africa their first win of the Women’s T20 World Cup
Annerie Dercksen’s blazing 52 set up the chase and Nadine de Klerk held firm, but South Africa still needed a wide to scrape past Pakistan by two wickets at Edgbaston.
Jun 18, 2026
South Africa finally have something to show for their Women’s T20 World Cup, but they made hard work of it. Set just 127 to win by Pakistan at Edgbaston, the Proteas stumbled their way to a two-wicket victory with 19 balls to spare, riding an early blitz from Annerie Dercksen before nearly throwing it all away.
It was South Africa’s first win of the tournament after losing their opener to Australia, and it keeps their semi-final hopes breathing. For Pakistan, who batted first and fought back well after a dreadful start, the result leaves them still searching for a first point and running short of room in Group 1.
Pakistan dig out of a hole
Pakistan’s afternoon began as badly as it could. South Africa’s seamers found movement under the lights and ripped through the top order, reducing them to 29 for 5 inside the six-over powerplay. At that stage a total of 90 looked optimistic, let alone something defendable.
Captain Fatima Sana had other ideas. She dragged the innings back almost single-handedly, finishing unbeaten with a fifty that was equal parts defiance and clean hitting, and found a useful ally in Tuba Hassan, who made 23 from 27 balls. Their stand turned a likely sub-100 score into 126 for 9, a total that suddenly carried a bit of menace given how the South African middle order has wobbled this tournament.
Dercksen sets the tone, then the nerves arrive
Any thought of a routine chase was quickly dismissed by Dercksen. The opener came out swinging and never stopped, racing to 52 off 35 balls with seven fours and two sixes, and South Africa were 48 for 1 at the end of their powerplay with the target already looking small. She was named player of the match, and it is not hard to see why. Without her, this chase does not get close.
Then it got interesting. Once Dercksen fell, the innings tightened alarmingly. Fatima Sana turned to the ball and grabbed three wickets, finishing with 3 for 16, and Pakistan kept chipping away until South Africa had lost eight wickets with the line in sight. Nadine de Klerk, who held the chase together with a level-headed 37 from 28 balls, was caught behind with the scores all but level, leaving the Proteas one run short and distinctly twitchy.
In the end the winning run came off a wide, an anticlimactic finish to a tense little chase. South Africa will not care how it arrived.
Where it leaves the group
Two points on the board changes South Africa’s mood and their maths. They were staring at an early exit after that heavy defeat to Australia, and a win, however scrappy, hands them a route back into the knockout conversation with games still to play.
Pakistan are the ones now under real pressure. Fatima Sana’s all-round effort deserved more than a losing cause, but a winless record this deep into the group stage leaves them needing results to go their way as well as winning themselves. On this evidence the batting has the fight, but starting at 29 for 5 against any of the contenders will sink them.