South Africa pull off stunning win against India in Women's World Cup

Chasing 252, South Africa were rattled early, reduced to 58 for 4, but a calm and clinical counterattack led by Laura Wolvaardt (70 off 111) and a breathtaking late assault by Nadine de Klerk (84 off 54)* sealed a memorable win.

India, after being put into bat, were reeling at 102 for 6, but Richa Ghosh rose to the occasion, smashing 94 off 77 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes. Her 88-run stand with Sneh Rana (33 off 24) helped India post a competitive 251 in 49.5 overs. Chloe Tryon led the South African bowling effort with 3 for 32, while Mlaba and Kapp picked two each.

India’s bowlers started well, with Kranti Goud (2/59) and Sneh Rana (2/47) removing key top-order batters. But Wolvaardt anchored one end while Tryon (49) and de Klerk shifted gears in the back end. A 69-run stand between Tryon and de Klerk brought South Africa back, and the latter’s aggressive finishing touch wrapped up the chase with power and poise.

Nadine de Klerk, Player of the Match, said, "To be honest, I’m a bit lost for words right now. We’ve been doing a lot of good things over the past few days, and to finish a game like this gives the whole group a lot of belief moving forward. I actually enjoy playing under pressure. Facing India at home, we knew we had to bring our best.

"They put up a strong total, but it feels great to cross the line against such a quality side. When Chloe and I came together, we planned to take the game deep. Even if it meant chasing tens in the last few overs, we backed ourselves. Laura batted beautifully, too. We probably left a bit too much for the end, but it was satisfying to see it come off."

On her power-hitting, she said, "It’s something that comes naturally to me. That’s my job — to come in lower down and put the bowlers under pressure. The wicket was good, and I knew if I got a few balls in, I could finish the game. We’ve got a couple of days off now before the next match against Bangladesh — a good chance to rest, reflect, and come back stronger."

(With inputs from BCCI official website)