Tazmin Brits led the charge as her unbeaten century powered the Proteas to a big 88-run win over the Netherlands in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup pool match at the County Ground in Bristol on Thursday night.
Brits struck the third and highest century of the tournament so far, and carried her bat throughout the innings to finish on a superb 114 off 69 balls, having smashed three sixes and 15 fours, in leading her side to a commanding 209-1 batting first after the Netherlands won the toss and chose to field.
The Proteas bowlers then initially struggled, as despite the Netherlands not really being in the chase, they still were in a decent looking position on 100/1 in the 15th over, before falling away down the finishing straight to end on 120-8 in their 20 overs.
🚨 MATCH RESULT 🚨#TheProteas dominate proceedings across both innings to seal victory by 88 runs! 👏🇿🇦
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) June 25, 2026
A masterclass with the bat, followed by discipline with the ball. A terrific all-round performance in Bristol 😤🏏#Unbreakable #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/NxVTNVvRoS
In all it is a very good result for the Proteas as they significantly boost their net run rate, which could come into play come the end of the pool phase if the Proteas beat Bangladesh in their final match and India upset Australia, which would leave them all level on points and needing net run rate to split them.
In the match the Proteas enjoyed two big partnerships as they passed 200 in a T20 World Cup for the first time, with Brits and captain Laura Wolvaardt, 45 off 36 balls (6x4), building the platform with a 121-run opening stand in 13.3 overs.
That included them scoring their biggest powerplay of 66 runs, before the Netherlands pulled things back in the middle overs largely thanks to spinner Caroline de Lange, who was the pick of the bowlers with 0-22 in her four overs, and she was very unlucky not to get a wicket.
After Wolvaardt departed in the 14th over, caught behind by keeper Babette de Leede off Hannah Landheer, the Proteas then cashed in over the last six overs, hammering 82 runs.
That was during an unbeaten 87-run second wicket stand between Brits and Annerie Dercksen, who clubbed two sixes and three fours in her 16-ball 37, as they reached a monster total.
Milestone Masterclass 💯
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) June 25, 2026
A historic night for Tazmin Brits as she brings up her maiden T20I century in commanding fashion! An innings that also sees her surge past 2,000 T20I runs. 🇿🇦🙌
In doing so, she becomes only the second Proteas Women batter to reach the 2,000-run… pic.twitter.com/Vz8JA601Xh
Tazmin Brits, You Beauty!! 😮💨
— Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) June 25, 2026
A night of pure dominance from Tazmin Brits as she produced a breathtaking Player of the Match performance, registering her maiden T20I century in spectacular fashion. 💯🇿🇦#Unbreakable #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/HPhS2fQ8Dk
The Netherlands showed some good fight at the start of their response, as openers Phoebe Molkenboer (41) and Sanya Khurana (37) scored 50 in the powerplay and shared in a 58-run opening partnership.
Sterre Kalis (26) backed them up and shared in a 42-run stand with Molkenboer, but the Proteas spinners strangled them as the rate continued to rise, and then cashed in with late wickets, as the last 33 balls saw seven wickets fall and just 20 runs scored as the Dutch ran out of steam.
Chloe Tryon was the pick of the bowlers with 2-16 in her four overs, while Ayabonga Khaka picked up three wickets in the final over to finish with 3-19 in her three.
PROTEAS WOMEN: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Dane van Niekerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
NETHERLANDS WOMEN: Sanya Khurana, Phebe Molkenboer, Babette de Leede (capt, wk), Sterre Kalis, Robine Rijke, Frederique Overdijk, Iris Zwilling, Myrthe van den Raad, Caroline de Lange, Silver Siegers, Hannah Landheer