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Some member of Meg Lanning's team had given up hope of reaching the Twenty20 World Cup final, believing heavy rain would wash out their semi-final at the SCG.

Even Australia felt a sense of inevitability about their Twenty20 World Cup campaign ending with a washed-out fizzer of a semi-final at the SCG.

Australia overcame both South Africa and heavy rain to storm into Sunday's World Cup final against India at the MCG.

Meg Lanning's team would have been eliminated from the tournament if their semi was abandoned without a ball being bowled, as was the case with Thursday's other semi at the same venue.

The forecast was bleak and the absence of a reserve day dominated this week's headlines, prompting coach Matthew Mott to tell his players to stay off weather apps.

"I'm pretty sure none of us listened to Motty's advice and I think we've been sitting on BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) all day," recalled pace bowler Delissa Kimmince said.

"This afternoon, I thought we were no chance with how heavy the rain was ... it rained almost non-stop."

Fellow quick Megan Schutt, having arrived at the iconic venue to see a distraught England squad shuffling off after their tournament was ended by wet weather, also gave up hope.

"I thought we were out. When I rocked up to the ground and saw the rain, the gloomy England team, I thought that was it. Our World Cup was over," Schutt said.

Innings-break showers reduced South Africa's chase to 13 overs and Schutt admitted her side made a point to complete the innings as quickly as possible, knowing yet more rain was on the way.

Beth Mooney, who has excelled at the top of Australia's order throughout the event, couldn't bring herself to open the curtains in her hotel room on Thursday.

"A lot of us thought we weren't even going to get a game ... I just couldn't bring myself to look outside," Mooney said.

"I was resigned to the fact that if we were going to play, it was going to be a 10-over game, but thankfully the rain gods were on our side."