Familiar flaws return for South Africa in semifinal exit

Tazmin Brits may have finished as the top run-getter for South Africa and the tournament's second highest scorer, but this tour has felt 'a bit different' for her.

"I don't know if it's because I sat out of the first two games," she wondered. "It's almost like I sat on the sidelines, looking through a window."

South Africa's campaign in the 2026 T20 World Cup came to an end in the semifinal against England. Much like it had been since her return to the team, her performance with the bat stood out, but the batting unit failed to chase down a par total.

The batting unit's underwhelming show has been, in a way, the story of South Africa's World Cup campaign. Brits, who top-scored with a painstaking 45-ball 51 in the semis, made an honest confession.

"Maybe, not having a plan?" she said. "A lot of times we go out there and think we can play without having a look at what the wicket is doing. Or maybe not wanting to change our game. A lot of times players prefer staying in their comfort space."

For more than halfway through the contest, it see-sawed all the way. At 23 for 3, England were troubled by swing and pace. Then Nat Sciver-Brunt and Heather Knight looked to push England past 180. In the end, their march halted at 169 — a par total.

With three balls remaining in the fifth over, and South Africa at 43 for no loss, the game was set for an exciting finish. But their innings nosedived from there.

Brits admitted the surface wasn't difficult to bat on and there was more value for batters as the innings progressed. But South Africa made one error — not learning from Sciver-Brunt and Knight, who comfortably nudged balls towards the leg side, absorbed pressure, and threw it back at the South Africans.

The South African bowlers became predictable with their lines. Unlike other pacers finding success bowling good length areas, Nadine de Klerk went fuller more often and paid the price.

England had learned their lessons. The South Africans didn't.

"Maybe we tried to pre-meditate and hit too hard, myself included," Brits looked back. "Maybe we should have hit the gap a bit better."

She denied Freya Kemp's slower balls troubling her, but added, "I just couldn't pick them up."

As South Africa struggled to find gaps, chewed up dot balls, and allowed the required rate to creep up, pressure mounted. Wickets kept falling. They failed to smoke a single six. The innings unraveled quickly after the powerplay.

For a campaign that never quite took off, it ended in the semifinals, with the two unbeaten — and unarguably the most clinical teams — reaching the final.

South Africa's quest for the elusive title continues, but the heartbreak has become a recurring feature — now playing out almost every year.

There was no one shedding tears. Maybe they were aware who really were the deserving winners long before the contest ended. When asked if the players were in pain, Mandla Mashimbyi played it cool.

"What pain? You just lose and you learn. We're going to make sure we put things in place that's going to make us even more dangerous."

Brits offered a more honest assessment: "We have to find a way. Either the powerplay works very well and we let it go. Or in batting, there are one or two partnerships, but no one carries on to get to those 80s and 100s."

With more than half the squad members above the age of 30 and many battling recurring injuries, time may not be the best friend for their cricketing aspirations.

"We didn't really click, and it's scary. We managed to reach the semifinals without actually clicking. It's scary to think, if we have to click," said Brits.

At 35, she believes her drive will continue until that promise for the World Cup remains in sight. She is scoring runs but the team isn't winning — and maybe that's why this tournament feels 'a bit different' for her.