That South Africa have reached the T20 World Cup semifinals is surprising. That England aren't keen to claim their status as outright favourites for Thursday's match at the Oval is unsurprising.

Because this South African team has learnt how to dig deep in tough times. They've won four of their five games at the tournament, but two of those successes - against Pakistan and Bangladesh - were unconvincing. Another, against minnows the Netherlands, wasn't as uncomplicated as it should have been.

Only against India, who they beat by six wickets with five balls remaining, did they look like a side who had reached the final in the previous two editions of this tournament.

"What's exciting about it is we've made the semis and we probably haven't even been at our best as a team yet," Laura Wolvaardt told a press conference on Wednesday. "We've found a way to win games.

"It was frustrating in those games where we probably could have gotten over the line easier, but at the end of the day we won, we got the points in the bag, and we're moving forward. We have definitely chatted about it though, that if we do find ourselves in a similar position to kill the game earlier."

On top of that, South Africa have made it this far without a single major contribution with the bat from Wolvaardt, their all-time leading runscorer in the format, who has failed to reach 50 in her five innings at the tournament. Consider that, in her five previous T20I innings, all in a home series against India in April, she scored 51, 54, 115, 18 and 92 not out.

"I'm annoyed with my tournament [performance] because I felt like I was in pretty good form coming into the competition," Wolvaardt said. "Maybe I'm trying to hit the ball too hard, but I guess that's just the pressure of a World Cup. It's not like I've forgotten how to bat."

England have sailed into the knockouts unbeaten, never winning by fewer than 38 runs or with fewer than 15 balls remaining. And they've been without Nat Sciver-Brunt for their last three matches. She's over her calf injury and will be back in action on Thursday. Thus all indications are that an England-Australia final looms at Lord's on Sunday.

Clearly, England were relishing the opportunity to win the trophy on home soil. Sciver-Brunt told a press conference on Wednesday: "You get the chance for your family to come and watch you at most of the games, and to see those familiar faces in the crowd. But also to experience a crowd that are really behind you and want the team to do well."

She added the cute quip that, "We also know where all the good coffee spots are in each of the cities."

But, if you were England, wouldn't you be nervous about these rebels with a cause? Opponents who win when they shouldn't are feared. That's who South Africa have been at this tournament. Small wonder Sciver-Brunt spoke of a "huge match" and said her team were "prepared for the test".

Still, based on current form, victory for South Africa would be a legitimate upset. England's leading batter, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, is also the tournament's leading runscorer. South Africa's best, Tazmin Brits, is in ninth place despite - like Wyatt-Hodge - having scored a century. Matters are more balanced on the bowling front, where Marizanne Kapp is only one wicket behind Sophie Ecclestone and has a better economy rate, as does Nonkululeko Mlaba. But England have clicked as a unit whereas South Africa have had to scrap their way to this point.

Again, that will be cold comfort to the home side. If you've cruised into the final four untested, the last team you want to face are a bunch who haven't had an easy game yet. And have kept winning regardless. Especially when they're the same team who beat you in the semifinals of the 2025 ODI World Cup and the 2023 T20 World Cup.

England really should win. South Africa really don't mind being told that.