Perennial finalists up against new-comers

Former champions England will look to confirm their third final in four editions when they take on first-timers South Africa in the second semifinal of the Women's World Twenty20 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today.
The two sides came into this tournament with perhaps different agendas -- England looking to wrestle back the title they won in 2009 and came ever so close to regaining in 2012 but for the four-run defeat against Australia in the final, and South Africa looking to make an impression and go as far as they can.
Both have done reasonably well so far -- albeit with one hiccup on the way through. England lost their very first match against West Indies, but since then they have comfortably beaten India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. South Africa started the tournament with a bang, beating Pakistan in style before being thumped by Australia. But they defeated Ireland in the next match earning their semifinal rights with a nerve-wrecking win over favourites New Zealand.
Having gone thus far and having accounted for one of the pretournament favourites, South Africa will feel that they can cause one more upset, with the all-round players that they have got. Even though openers Dane van Niekerk and Lizelle Lee have done the bulk of scoring, the brilliant innings from skipper Mignon du Preez against New Zealand and the power-hitting of Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp has shown that their batting runs quite deep. Kapp and Shabnim Ismail have spearheaded their pace attack while van Niekerk has been more than useful with her legbreaks.
England, on the other hand, will rely heavily on their three-pronged pace attack of Natalie Sciver, Anya Schrubsole and Jenny Gunn -- who have delivered, sharing 23 wickets among them. Off-break bowler Danielle Hazelle has only taken four wickets, but the pitch in Mirpur will probably be more to her liking than the ones in Sylhet.
England's batting has not been tested yet in true sense, apart from the match against West Indies, because most of the times their inspirational skipper Charlotte Edwards has successfully shouldered the responsibility of scoring big and batting through the innings. The middle order, when they got the chance to bat, has done reasonably well. Sarah Taylor's bat hasn't yet done too much, but if she can bat to her potential, South Africa have every reason to be worried about.