Captain Sciver-Brunt’s stirring 75 leads England into Women's T20 World Cup final

LONDON (AP) — Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt's awe-inspiring knock of 75 after an injury led England past South Africa and into the final of the Women's Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday.

Sciver-Brunt and former skipper Heather Knight rescued England from 23-3 with a 133-run partnership — the highest ever in a World Cup knockout match — to set South Africa a forbidding 170 target in The Oval semifinal.

South Africa, which chose to chase, had the life squeezed out of it and saw the writing on the wall as early as the 11th over after the great Marizanne Kapp was just the third out. By then the run rate required was already at 11 per over for the finalist in the previous two T20 World Cups.

No. 2-ranked England won by 40 runs and will face No. 1 Australia in the final at sold-out Lord's on Sunday. It's the first time since 2010 that both teams in the final are unbeaten.

England put up 169-5 and South Africa was shrunk to 129-8 in front of a women's T20 semifinal record attendance of 21,128.

Sciver-Brunt retired hurt against Ireland on June 16 due to tightness in the calf she tore in April. While missing England's last three group games, the captain threw everything into getting fit for the semifinals, including uncommon treatment using electromagnetic energy.

She replaced Sophie Dunkley, England's second highest run-scorer, and was called on just seven balls into the match as pacers Shabnim Ismail and Kapp gave South Africa a dream start of three wickets inside four overs.

Ismail became the first woman to reach 50 career wickets in T20 World Cups and Kapp bowled Danni Wyatt-Hodge, the highest ever run-scorer in a single World Cup.

But as Kapp and Ismail bowled out, their teammates were preyed on by Sciver-Brunt and Knight, who share more than 600 international caps.

South Africa lost both of its reviews trying to get rid of Sciver-Brunt on 2 and 14. She reached her eighth fifty in a T20 World Cup, tying the record with New Zealand's Suzie Bates and Australia's Beth Mooney. Knight followed.

“I was nervous,” Sciver-Brunt said. “The occasion gets quite big so that increases the nerves, and I have missed a few games. But as soon as the warmup started I managed to switch back on to game-time and just enjoyed myself out there. Heather and I ... with our experience, we put our heads together and got the job done.”

Nonkululeko Mlaba removed both batters in the 19th over; Sciver-Brunt for 75 runs from 47 balls including 50 from boundaries and Knight for 58 from 47.

The partnership of 133 from 90 surpassed the previous best in a World Cup knockout match of 122 not out between Beth Morgan and Claire Taylor for England against Australia at The Oval in the 2009 semifinals. That stand helped to set the benchmark for the previous highest successful chase at 164.

South Africa had to make 170. Its chances plunged as captain Laura Wolvaardt, Annerie Dercksen and Kapp were removed cheaply. Opener Tazmin Brits endured until the 15th over but for a too-slow 45-ball 51.

England's attack was impressive with five bowlers taking wickets. Freya Kemp led with 1-11 and spinner Sophie Ecclestone took 1-21 and two catches.

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

England's Sophie Ecclestone celebrates during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Sophie Ecclestone, back to the camera, celebrates with Linsey Smith, top, after winning the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

South Africa's Marizanne Kapp bowls during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Heather Knight plays a shot during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Natalie Sciver-Brunt, left, plays a shot during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Natalie Sciver-Brunt plays a shot during the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup semifinal match between England and South Africa in London, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding will begin at 5 p.m. Friday and stretch until the early hours of Saturday morning, closing several blocks in the heart of Manhattan during the busy holiday weekend, according to a copy of a city permit obtained by The Associated Press and new details provided by police.

The application — for a “Special Event at MSG” — was approved Wednesday night by New York City’s permitting office, according to a spokesperson for Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The permit shows 100 guests will begin arriving at Madison Square Garden at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for a “pre party celebration,” which officials described as an intimate rehearsal dinner.

A full street closure will then go into effect overnight, allowing crews to erect a “drive through tent” next to a separate “entrance tent,” according to the permit.

The “main event” will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, per the application, with the option to continue until 4 a.m. the next morning. That party can host up to 1,000 people, records show.

Beginning on Friday afternoon, several blocks surrounding the arena will be off-limits to vehicles and partially closed to pedestrians, according to information shared by police on Thursday afternoon.

Access to Penn Station — the busiest rail hub in the U.S., sitting directly below the arena — will be heavily restricted, with transit users urged to use a separate entrance further from the venue.

The approval of the permit comes as city officials and Swift’s representatives have continued to stay silent about the festivities — angering some business owners and residents, who have called for more transparency around a private event that will soak up public resources.

A spokesperson for the NYPD did not respond to a question Thursday about the purpose of the street closures.

Behind the scenes, emails obtained by the AP show city officials have been aware of the wedding — and its impact on city streets — for nearly a month.

On June 8, the director of the city’s street permitting office, Dawn Tolson, emailed several City Hall staffers to discuss a permit application “in association with the T&T wedding,” an apparent reference to Taylor and Travis.

The application included a request for “full street closures” on July 3 and 4, under the subject line: “Wedding Bells Are Ringing.”

Mamdani, who previously said the city would have to cut back on large scale events this summer due to the demands posed by the World Cup and America250 festivities, has declined to discuss the city’s role in the wedding event.

“The NYPD will of course have a detail in place, but I’m not going to go into more specifics at this time,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference on Wednesday.

Michael O’Brien, who co-owns O’Briens Bar and Grill across from the arena, said the city should do more to publicize the impact on local businesses — and that the newlyweds-to-be should foot the bill for any lost revenue.

“This is, in my opinion, ridiculous,” O’Brien said. “If they can afford to buy the permits, they can afford this big lavish ceremony, why don’t they just buy out the local businesses instead of having us adversely affected?”

But others seemed unbothered by the secrecy and precautions around the much-anticipated nuptials.

“She’s just so important in everyone’s life,” said Alyssa Heinen, one of scores of Swift fans who gathered outside the arena on Thursday afternoon. “We grew up with Taylor Swift, and just seeing her now find love — I feel like it’s inspiring to so many women. It’s so nice to see her so happy.”

Associated Press video journalist Joseph B. Frederick in New York contributed to this report.

A black vehicle enters Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

K-9's walk into Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A worker unloads portable air-conditioning units outside of Madison Square Garden ahead of a reported wedding between singer Taylor Swift and National Football League player Travis Kelce on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

A truck is unloaded outside New York's Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A worker holds "No Parking" signs prior to posting as trucks fill the loading dock outside New York's Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - Travis Kelce, left, and Taylor Swift pose after the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

A truck is unloaded outside New York's Madison Square Garden, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)