South Africa suffered a heavy 65-run defeat to Australia in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup at Old Trafford in Manchester.Chasing a competitive target of 173, the Proteas failed to build meaningful partnerships and were ultimately restricted by disciplined Australian bowling and sharp fielding.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt was South Africa's leading scorer with 44 runs, while Nadine de Klerk added 25, but the batting unit struggled to maintain momentum throughout the chase.

Australia's bowlers executed clear plans that limited South Africa's preferred scoring areas, while changes to the Proteas batting order did not produce the desired results.Annerie Dercksen managed only four runs at number three, and De Klerk's promotion up the order slowed the innings during a crucial phase.Key moments included the run-out of Marizanne Kapp and the dismissal of Wolvaardt, both of which shifted the match firmly in Australia's favour.Earlier, Australia posted 172/8 thanks largely to an aggressive innings from Phoebe Litchfield, who reached a rapid half-century off 23 balls.South Africa's new-ball attack initially applied pressure, with Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail claiming early wickets.Nonkululeko Mlaba contributed an economical spell of 2/22 and dismissed Ash Gardner during a period when the Proteas appeared to regain control.

However, experienced all-rounder Ellyse Perry and Georgia Wareham added a valuable 58-run partnership for the sixth wicket, helping Australia finish strongly.

South Africa's fielding proved costly, with dropped catches, missed opportunities in the field and poor ground work allowing Australia to add important late runs.The Australians also fielded exceptionally well, preventing boundaries and creating pressure throughout the innings.The defeat leaves South Africa under pressure in the group stage, with their upcoming match against Pakistan now carrying added importance.