Women’s World Cup 2025: South Africa Edge Past India in a Thrilling Encounter
October 9, 2025
In a nail-biting clash at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, South Africa stunned India with a remarkable three-wicket victory at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
The highlight of the match was Nadine de Klerk’s heroic unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls, which powered South Africa to chase down a 252-run target with seven balls to spare.
A Stunning Finish by Nadine de Klerk
With South Africa needing a strong finish, de Klerk rose to the occasion. Her explosive innings — laced with eight fours and five sixes — turned the game in the Proteas’ favor. The winning moment came when she smashed Amanjot Kaur for a towering six over deep mid-wicket, sealing South Africa’s second consecutive victory in the tournament.
Early Setbacks, Strong Recovery
The chase began shakily for South Africa, as early wickets from Amanjot Kaur and Kranti Gaud reduced them to 18/2 within six overs. However, skipper Laura Wolvaardt (70 off 111 balls) and Marizanne Kapp (20) steadied the innings before a mini-collapse saw the Proteas slip to 81/5.
Wolvaardt then found a reliable partner in Chloe Tryon, adding 61 crucial runs for the sixth wicket. Tryon played a vital knock of 49 off 66 balls, setting the stage for de Klerk’s match-winning heroics.
India’s Batting Highlights
Earlier, India posted 251 runs in 49.1 overs, thanks to Richa Ghosh’s brilliant 94 off 77 deliveries. Her innings featured 11 fours and four sixes, lifting India after a mid-innings collapse.
Openers Smriti Mandhana (23) and Pratika Rawal provided a solid 55-run start before the Indian middle order faltered. Sneh Rana (33 off 24) added valuable runs late in the innings, sharing an 88-run stand with Ghosh.
South Africa’s Bowling Attack Shines
For South Africa, Chloe Tryon led the bowling with 3/32, while Nonkululeko Mlaba, de Klerk, and Marizanne Kapp grabbed two wickets each. Tumi Sekhukhune also contributed with one dismissal.
Points Table Update
With this thrilling win, South Africa climbed to fourth place in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 standings with four points from three matches. India, despite the loss, held on to third place due to a superior net run rate.
Final Thoughts
This match was a perfect showcase of determination and resilience from both sides. While India’s Richa Ghosh shone with the bat, Nadine de Klerk’s fearless counterattack ensured South Africa emerged victorious in one of the most exciting games of the tournament so far.
