Guwahati: After starting their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup by being bowled out for 69 against England at the ACA Stadium, South Africa turned the tables on the same opposition in emphatic fashion by storming into the title clash with a 125-run win in the first semifinal.
With this win, South Africa have stormed into their first-ever Women’s World Cup final by dismantling England with a clinical performance. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt led the charge with a masterful 169 off 143 balls - an innings that will be etched in World Cup folklore.
She paced her knock with poise and precision, reaching her century off 115 balls before unleashing a late-innings blitz that saw her plunder 69 runs off her final 28 deliveries. Her knock, laced with 20 fours and four sixes, is also the highest score by a South African in a Women’s ODI World Cup, as the Proteas posted a mammoth 319/7.
England, chasing a record target, were rocked early by Marizanne Kapp’s opening burst, reducing them to 1-3. Marizanne, who had left the field briefly with cramps, returned to complete a five-wicket haul and end with 5-20, as England were bowled out for 194 in 42.3 overs.
Alice Capsey (50) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) stitched together a 107-run stand to offer brief hope, but England never truly recovered from the early collapse, as they folded under scoreboard pressure and South Africa’s relentless discipline. It was a night of redemption for South Africa, as the ghosts of Christchurch 2022 and Bristol 2017 were laid to rest.
Marizanne and Laura, two of the greatest match winners of the Proteas, rose to the occasion with career-defining performances. South Africa can now sit back and watch India and Australia battle it out for the right to join them in Sunday’s final. South Africa had a fantastic start to their defense as Marizanne castled Amy Jones through the gate for duck, before forcing Heather Knight to chop on to her stumps without troubling the scorers in a double-wicket maiden over.
More trouble followed England when a back-of-length delivery from Ayabonga Khaka straightened off the deck and found Tammy Beaumont’s outside edge, which UltraEdge confirmed with a faint spike, as the opener went back for zero.
Alice and Nat hung around to rebuild England’s innings. The duo got a few streaky boundaries before middling some fours off Ayabonga and Nadine de Klerk to bring up the fifty of their partnership. Alice survived a scare when substitute Nondumiso Shangase dropped her catch off Sune Luus.
To rub more salt into the wound, Nat survived being run out by the barest of margins, via a desperate full-length dive. Alice was top-notch in her sweeps to bring up her maiden ODI half-century off 70 balls. On the very next ball, Nat reached the milestone off 59 balls with a loft off Sune Luus for six.
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Rain washes out first India-Australia T20I in Canberra Canberra: Rain had the final say at the Manuka Oval in the Australian Capital Territory of Canberra, forcing the first T20I between India and Australia to be called off after persistent showers interrupted play twice. India had a promising outing with the bat before the weather intervened, racing to 97 for 1 in 9.4 overs when the match was abandoned. Under gloomy skies in the Australian capital, home skipper Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Indian openers, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, gave the visitors a solid start, adding 35 runs for the first wicket before Nathan Ellis removed the left-hander. Suryakumar Yadav then walked in and made an immediate impact, beginning his innings with a trademark whip over deep backward square leg — a shot that also brought up his 150th six in T20 internationals. The game was halted for around 40 minutes after five overs due to rain, and play resumed with the contest reduced to 18 overs per side. Once back, both Suryakumar and Gill found their rhythm, stitching together a brisk 62-run stand off 35 balls. The duo struck some crisp boundaries and began accelerating before another spell of rain ended any hopes of further play. |
