It needed two historic performances from the South African womenâ€s teamâ€s captain and premier batter, Laura Wolvaardt, and their premier all-rounder and pacer, Marizanne Kapp, to sink England in their semi-final clash at the ICC Womens World Cup 2025.
On Wednesday in Guwahati, Wolvaardtâ€s side became the first-ever South African team, men or women, to reach the final of an ICC ODI World Cup after they beat Nat Sciver-Bruntâ€s England womenâ€s team by a huge margin of 125 runs in the first semi-final of this competition.
ICC Womens World Cup England vs South Africa Semi-Final: Report
The Protea women had begun their campaign with a disastrous 10-wicket defeat against England but now knocked the same opposition out of the tournament through an outstanding batting display from Wolvaardt and a marvellous bowling show from Kapp.
Wolvaardt recorded the third-highest individual score by a batter in Womenâ€s World Cup knockouts, her 169 almost single-handedly leading South Africa to 319, the highest total for the Protea women in World Cups.
In the defence of their total, Kapp and South Africa came out all guns blazing, as they had England tottering for 1/3 in the second over, with all of the top three batters dismissed for ducks.
Skipper Sciver-Brunt rebuilt Englandâ€s innings with Alice Capsey through their 107-run fourth-wicket stand, with both batters scoring half-centuries. But once that stand was broken, England collapsed, going from 108/3 to 194 all-out, with Kapp finishing with terrific figures of 5/20 in seven overs that included three maidens.
Apart from losing the toss, South Africa had put the right foot forward from the onset of the contest. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits set up a solid foundation with a 116-run opening stand.
England did force a mini-collapse, picking up three wickets for only three runs. But Wolvaardt combined with Kapp for a 72-run stand before England bounced back with three quick wickets in a space of 11 runs.
However, from 202/6 at the start of the 41st over, Wolvaardt, who had been playing the anchor role, exploded, finding an able partner in Chloe Tyron, who hit 33* off 26 balls, while Wolvaardt hammered 169 off 143 balls, which included 20 fours and four sixes.
Their partnership of 89 (47), followed by a 28*(12) stand between Tyron and Nadine de Klerk, gave South Africa the momentum they needed to finish their innings on a high.
England vs South Africa Semi-Final Report: England lost 1/3 in 1.1 overs
Englandâ€s run chase was dented in the first seven balls with three strikes, and from thereon, a win for South Africa became more and more inevitable.
They will face either India or Australia in the ICC Womenâ€s World Cup final on Sunday in Navi Mumbai. For the unversed, South Africa have never won an ICC World Cup (ODI or T20I) in either menâ€s or womenâ€s cricket. Sunday beckons a historic opportunity for Wolvaardtâ€s team.
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