England, firm favourites in Friday's T20 World Cup semi-final against hosts South Africa at Newlands, looked to be cruising. Just five overs into their pursuit of the 165 they needed for victory, the hard-hitting tourists were 53/0, making light work of the Proteas' new-ball bowling with openers Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley scoring almost at will. READ | Ismail, Khaka, Wolvaardt, Brits . . . Proteas solidify hero status The Newlands crowd, optimistic after their side's batters had given them a realistic chance, grew increasingly quiet. At that moment, South Africa were looking every bit the underdogs they were always billed to be, and it would take something special for them to find a way back into the game. Big characters step up on the biggest moments, they say. Enter Shabnim Ismail. In an over of raw pace - one of the quickest the women's game has ever seen - the 34-year-old Proteas veteran dug deep and found something from somewhere. She removed Dunkley (28 off 16) and Alice Capsey (0 of 2) within the space of three balls, turning the game on its head. Ismail's bouncer that rushed Capsey was particularly vicious, and by the time she was done with her over, she had clocked one down at 128 kph for the fastest ball of the tournament. This match will rightly also be remembered for Tazmin Brits' heroics with bat and in the field, Laura Wolvaardt's half-century and Ayabonga Khaka's 4/29, but it was Ismail who changed everything. She remains South Africa's leader through consistency, unwavering excellence and a legacy that will make her one of the greatest cricketers this country has ever produced when she eventually decides to call it a day. READ | Proteas hero Brits in dreamland after SF showing Ismail wanted this one badly, and it showed. It also translated into a performance that has sparked a moment of history. South Africa finally has a cricket team competing in a World Cup final, and it is hard to imagine that being the case if there was no Ismail. "No ways. Really?" was her stunned reaction on Friday when told of the speeds she had recorded. "I always speak about bowling as quickly as I can, but you also need to be consistent. " Never one to take credit for Proteas successes, even when they are so obviously a direct result of her own performances, Ismail did acknowledge that this moment meant more than the others. "Today showed lots of character and skill in how we played, in the batting and bowling department," she said. "This was the hurdle we always speak about; getting over the semi-final line. I've been playing for 16 years now, so for us to finally get over that line is really emotional for me. " England needed 13 runs to win heading into the final over, and there was only one South African for that job. Ismail stood at the top of her mark, took a deep breath and then zoned in with laser-like focus on the six balls she had to punch the Proteas' ticket. "I do the hard work behind the scenes, so it was just for me to come out and execute," she said. "I didn't even look at how much they needed in that last over. I just wanted to defend like three or four runs. That was the mindset. "Going into the final, it's about taking everything we learned from today and just getting even better. " Heading into the tournament, questions were hovering over Ismail's future and how much more she could give to the international stage. She has been a servant unlike any other. If this is the final chapter, then what a story it has been. Hopefully, it comes with a fairytale ending. Play on Sunday starts at 15:00. .