Image: Wolvaardt's stunning 169 led South Africa to 319 in semi / © ESPNcricinfo
The Semi-Finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 kicked off with a thrilling contest between South Africa Women and England Women at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on October 29. The day-night match saw England win the toss and elect to field first, hoping to make use of the evening conditions. South Africa, however, had other plans. They piled up a massive 319 for 7 in their 50 overs, powered by a magnificent 169 from their captain Laura Wolvaardt. England’s chase started with a nightmare and never really recovered, as they were bundled out for 194 in just 42.3 overs, handing South Africa a commanding 125-run victory.
The innings began steadily under the floodlights, with openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits facing the new ball from Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith. England’s pacers tried to swing the ball early, but the South African pair played with patience. Wolvaardt, leading from the front, looked in complete control from the start. She drove Bell through covers for a boundary in the very first over, signaling her intent. Brits, at the other end, was happy to rotate the strike and punish loose deliveries. The first 10 overs yielded 48 runs without loss, a solid foundation.
As the spinners came on, the partnership grew stronger. Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean bowled tight lines, but Wolvaardt and Brits handled them well. Brits was particularly severe on anything short, pulling Dean for a six over midwicket. By the 15th over, the score had moved to 78 without loss. Wolvaardt reached her fifty in the 20th over with a delicate late cut off Nat Sciver-Brunt, raising her bat to a cheering crowd. The 100-run stand came up soon after, in the 21st over, with Brits contributing 45.
The breakthrough finally came in the 23rd over when Ecclestone bowled a quicker one that skidded through to trap Brits lbw for 45 off 65 balls. She had struck six fours and one six in a confident knock. Just three balls later, disaster struck again. Anneke Bosch, promoted up the order, played around a straight delivery from Ecclestone and was bowled for a duck. South Africa had lost two wickets in four balls and were suddenly 116 for 2.
Sune Luus walked in next but didn’t last long. Sciver-Brunt, bowling her fourth over, produced a beauty that nipped back to crash into the stumps, sending Luus back for 1 off 6 balls. From a comfortable 116 for no loss, South Africa were now 119 for 3 in the 26th over. The England bowlers sensed an opening, and the fielders lifted their energy. Wolvaardt, however, refused to panic. Marizanne Kapp, the all-rounder, joined her and immediately took the attack to the bowlers. Kapp lofted Dean over mid-on for four and then pulled Bell fiercely to the square-leg boundary. The pair added 72 runs in quick time for the fourth wicket. Kapp’s aggression rubbed off on Wolvaardt, who started finding gaps regularly.
Ecclestone returned for her second spell and broke the stand in the 37th over. Kapp tried to clear long-off but didn’t get enough elevation, and Charlie Dean took a good catch running in. Kapp departed for 42 off 33 balls, with four fours and a six. In the next over, Lauren Bell got one to bounce extra, and Sinalo Jafta gloved it to the keeper for 1. Annerie Dercksen, struggling for timing, was bowled by Ecclestone for 4 off 14 balls. South Africa were 202 for 6 after 40 overs, and England were right back in the game.
The last 10 overs, however, belonged to Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon. Tryon, known for her big-hitting, started slowly but soon found her range. She lofted Alice Capsey over midwicket for four and then smashed Ecclestone for a straight six. Wolvaardt, now batting with freedom, brought up her 150 with a glorious cover drive off Bell.
Tryon remained unbeaten on 33 off 26 balls, with three fours and a six. Wolvaardt’s epic innings finally ended in the 48th over when she miscued a pull off Bell and was caught at deep midwicket for 169 off 143 balls. Her knock included 18 fours and one six, and she had faced nearly half the balls in the innings. Nadine de Klerk provided the final flourish, smashing 11 not out off 6 balls, including a four and a six.
England’s reply began under pressure, chasing 320. Marizanne Kapp, with the new ball, was on fire from the first over. She bowled Amy Jones with her second delivery, a full ball that swung late and clipped the off stump. Jones was gone for a two-ball duck. Three balls later, Kapp produced another gem to Heather Knight. The England captain played across the line and was bowled for 0. In the next over, Ayabonga Khaka joined the party, getting Tammy Beaumont to edge one to the keeper for another duck. England were reeling at 1 for 3 after just 1.1 overs.
Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey had the task of rebuilding. They started cautiously, respecting Kapp and Khaka’s swing. The first boundary came in the 5th over when Sciver-Brunt drove Khaka through covers. Capsey followed suit, flicking de Klerk off her pads for four. By the end of the mandatory powerplay (10 overs), England were 34 for 3, having lost three wickets but also finding some rhythm.
The fourth-wicket pair steadily built a partnership. Sciver-Brunt was severe on anything short, pulling Mlaba for four and then lofting Tryon over mid-on. Capsey played the anchor role initially but soon opened up. She cut Luus late for four and then drove de Klerk straight down the ground. The 50-run stand came up in the 14th over, and both batters looked settled. Drinks were taken at 67 for 3 after 16 overs, with Sciver-Brunt on 33 and Capsey on 30. The partnership reached 100 in the 22nd over, with Capsey bringing up her fifty off 70 balls with a push through covers. Sciver-Brunt wasn’t far behind, reaching her fifty off 59 balls with a pull for four off Mlaba. England crossed 100 in the 23rd over, and for the first time, hope flickered.
Sune Luus, however, changed the game in the 23rd over. Capsey tried to loft one over cover but didn’t get the distance, and de Klerk took a simple catch at long-off. Capsey departed for 50 off 71 balls. Kapp returned for her second spell and struck immediately. Sciver-Brunt chased a wide one and edged to the keeper for 64 off 76 balls, her innings had six fours and a six. The collapse followed. In the 30th over, Kapp removed Sophia Dunkley, who edged a defensive prod to the keeper for 2. The next ball, Charlie Dean got a thin edge to slip and was gone for 0. England were 144 for 7, and the match was slipping away fast.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge tried to fight back, smashing de Klerk for three fours in an over. She added 27 with Sophie Ecclestone, but Mlaba bowled the left-arm spinner for 2 in the 33rd over. Wyatt-Hodge continued to attack, hitting Mlaba for four more, but de Klerk returned to have her caught at mid-on for 34 off 31 balls. Linsey Smith played a few nice drives, adding 19 with Lauren Bell, but the target was too far. In the 43rd over, de Klerk bowled a full toss that Smith chipped to midwicket, where Luus took the catch. Smith made 27 off 36 balls. Bell remained not out on 9 off 12 balls as England were all out for 194.
Kapp was the destroyer with 5 for 20 in 7 overs, her third five-for in World Cups, making her the highest wicket-taker in the tournament’s history. Khaka supported with 2 for 28, de Klerk took 2 for 24, Mlaba 1 for 40, and Luus 1 for 41. South Africa’s fielding was excellent, with Jafta taking four catches behind the stumps and the ground fielding saving crucial runs. The 125-run win was South Africa’s biggest against England in ODIs and sealed their place in the final.
Bowling the first over, Marizanne Kapp struck like lightning for South Africa. On the second ball, she clean-bowled Amy Jones for a two-ball duck, England 0/1. Just three balls later, she trapped captain Heather Knight lbw for another golden duck, 0/2 in five balls.
The very next over, Ayabonga Khaka got Tammy Beaumont caught behind for 0, and England slumped to 1/3 after just 1.1 overs. Kapp’s fiery spell (7-3-20-5) kept ripping through the top order, including Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean in successive balls. Chasing 320, England never recovered from that brutal start. Kapp’s double-wicket maiden first over was the TCNI Magic Moment, pure devastation that sealed South Africa’s massive 125-run win.
In the thrilling clash, South Africa Women posted a formidable 319/7 in 50 overs against their opponents, powered by an outstanding century from captain Laura Wolvaardt, rightfully named TCNI’s Hero of the Day. The elegant right-hander anchored the innings with a masterful 169 off 143 balls, striking 18 fours and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 118.18. She built crucial partnerships, including a 116-run stand with Tazmin Brits (45) for the first wicket, steering the team past early hiccups.
After Brits fell in the 22.2 over, Wolvaardt stayed calm amid quick wickets, Anneke Bosch (0) and Sune Luus (1) departed soon after. She accelerated with Marizanne Kapp (42), adding 72 runs for the fourth wicket until Kapp’s dismissal at 191 in the 36.3 over. Wolvaardt kept the scoreboard ticking, reaching her 150 before finally getting caught off Lauren Bell in the 47.6 over.