Captain Laura Wolvaardt delivered a masterclass with the bat, while Marizanne Kapp unleashed a superb five-wicket haul, as South Africa convincingly defeated England by 125 runs to march into their first-ever Women’s ODI World Cup final. It was a day of historic milestones for the Proteas.
Wolvaardt’s magnificent innings of 169 runs off just 143 balls anchored South Africa’s commanding total of 319/7. This set England a daunting, record-breaking chase in the semi-final. Despite a determined effort in the middle order, the four-time champions, England, were ultimately bowled out for 194 in 42.3 overs, with Kapp inflicting the most significant damage.
“It still feels a bit unreal. You dream as a kid of scoring a hundred in a World Cup knock-out game,” an elated Wolvaardt remarked after being awarded the Player of the Match. “Given the context – a World Cup semi-final – this performance is definitely right at the top for me,” she added.
After being asked to bat first, South Africa got off to a strong start thanks to Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, who contributed a valuable 45 runs, forging a 116-run opening partnership. England’s Sophie Ecclestone attempted to stem the flow of runs, claiming 4 wickets for 44 runs and twice halting South Africa’s momentum.
However, Wolvaardt found excellent support in Marizanne Kapp, who scored 42, as the duo rebuilt the innings with a crucial 72-run partnership. From a precarious position of 202 for six, Wolvaardt’s strategic acceleration, blending elegant drives with powerful strokes through midwicket, propelled South Africa beyond the 300-run mark. Her stellar knock featured 20 fours and four sixes, reaching her 150 with a towering six over midwicket and also surpassing the impressive milestone of 5000 ODI runs.
Late cameos from Chloe Tryon (33*) and Nadine de Klerk (11*) added another 117 runs in the final ten overs, ensuring the Proteas finished with a formidable total.
Chasing 320, England’s response stumbled early as Kapp struck twice in her initial spell, dismissing key batters Amy Jones and Heather Knight and setting a challenging tone. Although Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) and Alice Capsey (50) forged a resilient 107-run partnership, Kapp returned to dismiss Sciver-Brunt, effectively collapsing England’s resistance.
Kapp concluded with exceptional figures of 5 for 20, cementing a memorable victory for South Africa. This commanding performance also served to erase the bitter memories of their previous league-stage defeat against the same English side.
Beyond this specific match, this achievement marks South Africa’s inaugural World Cup final appearance across all genders, adding an extraordinary layer to their triumph. The second semi-final of the tournament, featuring India and Australia, is scheduled to be played on Thursday in Navi Mumbai.