LIVE Cricket Score, Australia vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2023 Final: South Africa restrict Australia to 156/6

20:18 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

FOUR! Wolvaardt opens the Proteas' account with a boundary, courtesy a misfield at mid on, after four dot deliveries by Schutt in the first over! SA 4/0

20:18 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Right then, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits walk out to begin South Africa's chase. The pair have been outstanding in their last two outings and will hope to get off to another strong start today. Megan Schutt will open the bowling for the Aussies.

20:16 (IST)

What a beast of a player

Beth Mooney in finals:

74*(53) in 2023 T20 WC final.
61(41) in 2022 CWG final.
62(47) in 2022 ODI WC final.
78*(54) in 2020 T20 WC final.

A Player born to perform in finals for Australia. pic.twitter.com/8PTC9gXkGp— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) February 26, 2023

20:16 (IST)

Can the Proteas end a long wait today?

South Africa have never won against Australia, or scored more than 141 against Australia, nor have they been quicker than 7.1 runs per over.

If you're going to choose a time to do it, this is probably it.— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) February 26, 2023

20:07 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

After 20 overs,Australia Women 156/6 ( Beth Mooney 74 , Tahlia McGrath 1)

Superb comeback by Ismail after getting hit for a six and a four in the first two balls by Mooney, dismissing Perry and Wareham off successive deliveries to ensure the defending champions are restricted below the 160-mark.

Can the hosts chase down 157 and end Australia's dominance? Or will Lanning and Co win a sixth world title? Stay tuned for the chase...

20:01 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

BOWLED! Shabnim Ismail is on a hat-trick! Castles George Wareham, who is sent ahead of Tahlia McGrath due to her clean-hitting abilities, first ball! Ismail now has 43 T20 World Cup wickets to her name to become the most successful bowler ever in the tournament's history. AUS 155/6

Wareham b Ismail 0(1)

19:59 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

OUT! Ellyse Perry perishes in the final over, getting a thick top edge that results in a simple catch for Brits at mid on as Ismail finally has a wicket to her name in the final. AUS 155/5

Perry c Brits b Ismail 7(5)

19:51 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

After 18 overs,Australia Women 134/4 ( Beth Mooney 56 , Ellyse Perry 5)

FOUR! Beth Mooney brings up her 18th T20I half-century in style, smacking the ball over extra cover off Marizanne Kapp, taking 44 deliveries to bring up the milestone today. She also becomes the first batter to score a half-century in two T20 World Cup finals!

19:48 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

OUT! The Proteas certainly have had their moments on the field today! Tryon pulls off a superb catch this time to dismiss Aussie captain Lanning, who decides to pull Kapp towards the square leg fence looking for a maximum. AUS 122/4

Lanning c Tryon b Kapp 10(11)

19:44 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 16 overs,Australia Women 118/3 ( Beth Mooney 47 , Meg Lanning (C) 9)

Four more overs to go, and the Aussies appear well set to post a total in excess of 160 with a fairly well set Mooney at the centre. The left-handed opener, who is three short of her half-century at the moment, collects a boundary off the third delivery of the 16th, taking the aerial route over point off Ismail.

19:36 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

BOWLED! Mlaba breaches Harris' defence with one that stays a tad low, hitting the leg stump in the process, as Australia lose two wickets in quick succession! AUS 103/3

Harris b Mlaba 10(9)

19:33 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

After 14 overs,Australia Women 103/2 ( Beth Mooney 41 , Grace Harris 10)

FOUR! Grace Harris brings up the 100 for the Southern Stars with a boundary, advancing and muscling the ball towards long on off Tryon! Big over for the Aussies, with 11 coming off Tryon's second.

19:30 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

OUT! Superb catch by Sune Luus at long off as Chloe Tryon gets the prized wicket of Ashleigh Gardner, who departs after an attacking 29! The ball nearly disappeared in the blue sky, and it took real focus for the Proteas skipper to pull this off. AUS 83/2

Gardner c Luus b Tryon 29(21)

19:15 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 10 overs,Australia Women 73/1 ( Beth Mooney 25 , Ashleigh Gardner 27)

Australia suddenly are looking a lot more settled at the halfway mark than they did at the end of the powerplay, going at over seven-an-over with nine wickets in hand and Gardner taking the attack to the Proteas. As long as she's around, Australia have a genuine shot at crossing 160 today.

19:12 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 9 overs,Australia Women 66/1 ( Beth Mooney 19 , Ashleigh Gardner 26)

SIX! SIX! And now back-to-back maximums — the first of the final — for Ashleigh Gardner, who steps up for the Southern Stars in yet another crunch game! Smashes the first one straight over de Klerk's head before going inside out over wide long off!

19:07 (IST)

AUS vs SA LIVE Score

After 8 overs,Australia Women 53/1 ( Beth Mooney 18 , Ashleigh Gardner 14)

FOUR! FOUR! A boundary after a space of 21 balls for Australia, and a welcome one at that, as Ash Gardner rocks back and muscles a half-tracker from Mlaba towards the midwicket fence. She makes it back-to-back boundaries with an inside out lofted drive towards the wide long off fence.

19:00 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

After 6 overs,Australia Women 36/1 ( Beth Mooney 15 , Ashleigh Gardner 0)

Maiden over for Shabnim Ismail, with in-form opener Beth Mooney unable to pierce the off-side cordon. The seamer ends the over with a steep bouncer to the southpaw to collect a maiden inside the powerplay!

18:57 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score

OUT! Kapp draws first blood for the Proteas, bouncing Healy out as the Aussie wicketkeeper-batter tamely chips the short delivery towards cover to depart for 18! AUS 36/1

Healy c de Klerk b Kapp 18(20)

18:49 (IST)

South Africa vs Australia LIVE Score

After 4 overs,Australia Women 25/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 13 , Beth Mooney 10)

FOUR! Tickled away through the gap between backward point and third man by Mooney, who moves to double figures in the process, off Khaka at the end of the fourth over. The Aussie opening stand is starting to look ominous now for the Proteas.

18:42 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 2 overs,Australia Women 13/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 10 , Beth Mooney 1)

FOUR! Shabnim Ismail, bowling the second over, bowls one short and wide to Healy, who promptly slaps it over cover to collect her second boundary. Later in the over, the Proteas burn a review after an unsuccessful LBW appeal against Healy, with the ball easily missing leg.

18:38 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

After 1 over,Australia Women 5/0 ( Alyssa Healy (W) 5 , Beth Mooney 0)

Tidy first over from Nonkululeko Mlaba barring the boundary in the second ball, with the left-arm spinner bowling four dots that elicit a few cheers from the Newlands crowd. Healy collects a single off the last ball to keep the strike.

18:35 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

FOUR! Healy gets down on one knee and sweeps Mlaba towards deep square leg to open Australia's account with a boundary! AUS 4/0

18:33 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

The national anthems have been sung (with South African all-rounder Marizanne Kapp overcome with emotion, barely able to sing Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika), and it's time for one final round of action in what has been a remarkable tournament so far.

Healy and Mooney walk out to open the Aussie innings, with left-arm spinner Mlaba opening the bowling for the Proteas.

18:11 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

Pommie Mbangwa and Lisa Sthalekar analyse the Newlands pitch ahead of the final:

PM: What a beautiful day. Not a cloud in the sky. This is the exact conditions you want in a final. This tournament has been the highest scoring of all Women’s T20 World Cups, and that’s something. Chasing will be a bit more difficult.

LS: I see a used pitch from the two semi-finals, and that will help the spinners. The fast bowlers have been exceptional. Shabnim Ismail and Darcie Brown are the two to watch out. Whoever can cope with short-pitched deliveries will come out better.

18:10 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

Teams:

Australia:  Alyssa Healy (wk), Beth Mooney, Meg Lanning (c), Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Tahlia McGrath, Grace Harris, Georgia Wareham, Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt, Darcie Brown

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus (c), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

18:09 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Cricket Score

Here's what the two captains said at the toss:

Meg Lanning, Australia: We feel it’s a good wicket, and we hope to start off well. We are going with the same team, we feel we have got all the bases covered. I’m very proud to be able to lead this group. We’ve got a job to do and can’t wait to get out there.

Sune Luus, South Africa: Obviously we would’ve liked to bat first as well, but don’t think the surface will change too much. We are going with the same team. It’s been unreal. Important to stay as calm as possible and do out best.

18:04 (IST)

Australia vs South Africa LIVE Score

TOSS: Australia win the toss, and captain Meg Lanning opts to bat

18:00 (IST)

Final touches before the big game in Newlands!