Guwahati/Patiala, 30 October (Sports Desk)
The first semi-final of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, held on October 29, 2025, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, saw South Africa Women defeat England Women by a massive 125 runs. This historic victory propelled South Africa into their maiden Women’s ODI World Cup final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Australia and India on November 2, 2025. England, the four-time champions, were outplayed comprehensively, marking a disappointing end to their tournament campaign after earlier semi-final appearances.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt delivered a masterclass with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 169 off 143 balls (including 15 fours and 6 sixes), her maiden World Cup century, to power her team to a formidable total. The innings featured aggressive acceleration in the death overs, adding 69 runs off just 28 balls after reaching her hundred. Marizanne Kapp complemented this with a match-defining all-round performance: 42 off 33 balls with the bat and a devastating 5-20 with the ball, including key breakthroughs that dismantled England’s top order. Kapp also became the leading wicket-taker in Women’s ODI World Cups, surpassing India’s Jhulan Goswami.
England won the toss and elected to field but struggled on a batting-friendly pitch, with their bowlers unable to contain the South African middle order despite Sophie Ecclestone’s spirited 4-44. In the chase, England never got started, collapsing to 194 all out in 42.3 overs, with only Alice Capsey (50) and Nat Sciver-Brunt (64) offering resistance.
Player of the Match: Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) – For her breathtaking 169, which she described post-match as “right at the top considering the context, a World Cup semi-final.”
watch….Australia vs India T20I: A Rainy Day Disappointment
Toss and Conditions
- Toss: England won and chose to field first.
- Pitch and Weather: The Guwahati pitch favored batting, assisting strokeplay in the second innings despite good carry for seamers early on. Clear conditions with no interruptions.
South Africa Innings: 319/7 in 50 Overs
South Africa overcame two mini-collapses (at 116/2 and 202/6) thanks to Wolvaardt’s composure and partnerships. Key highlights:
- Openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits added 116 runs for the first wicket, setting a solid platform (Brits 45 off 65).
- A 72-run stand between Wolvaardt and Kapp (42 off 33) steadied the innings.
- Chloe Tryon’s late cameo (quick 20s) ensured momentum in the slog overs.
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Wolvaardt (c) | c Capsey b Bell | 169* | 143 | 15 | 6 | 118.18 |
| Tazmin Brits | b Ecclestone | 45 | 65 | 4 | 0 | 69.23 |
| Anneke Bosch | Run out | 20 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Sune Luus | lbw b Ecclestone | 15 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Marizanne Kapp | c Dean b Ecclestone | 42 | 33 | 4 | 2 | 127.27 |
| Chloe Tryon | Not out | 28 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 186.67 |
| Annerie Dercksen | b Ecclestone | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Sinalo Jafta | b Bell | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Nadine de Klerk | Not out | 2* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | (lb 5, w 8) | 13 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 319/7 (50 overs) | – | – | – | – | – |
Fall of Wickets: 116-1 (Brits, 22.4 ov), 130-2 (Bosch, 28.2 ov), 150-3 (Luus, 33.5 ov), 202-4 (Kapp, 41.2 ov), 240-5 (Wolvaardt, 47.6 ov), 250-6 (Dercksen, 48.3 ov), 260-7 (Jafta, 49.1 ov).
England Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Bell | 10 | 0 | 65 | 2 | 6.50 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | 10 | 0 | 44 | 4 | 4.40 |
| Lauren Filer | 8 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 7.50 |
| Sarah Glenn | 10 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 7.00 |
| Charlie Dean | 7 | 0 | 45 | 0 | 6.43 |
| Alice Capsey | 5 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 7.00 |
England Innings: 194 All Out in 42.3 Overs
England’s chase unraveled early with Kapp striking in her first over, removing Amy Jones. A 100+ run partnership between Sciver-Brunt and Capsey offered hope, but Kapp’s return spell (including the vital wicket of Sciver-Brunt via a faint edge) triggered a collapse from 202/6. Nadine de Klerk chipped in with 2 wickets.
| Batsman | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danni Wyatt | c Jafta b Kapp | 10 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Maia Bouchier | b de Klerk | 20 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 80.00 |
| Nat Sciver-Brunt (c) | c Jafta b Kapp | 64 | 70 | 6 | 1 | 91.43 |
| Heather Knight | lbw b Kapp | 15 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 75.00 |
| Amy Jones | b Kapp | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Alice Capsey | c Tryon b de Klerk | 50 | 55 | 5 | 0 | 90.91 |
| Sophia Dunkley | c Jafta b Kapp | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Charlie Dean | c Wolvaardt b Kapp | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 62.50 |
| Sophie Ecclestone | c Brits b Tryon | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
| Lauren Filer | run out | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Lauren Bell | Not out | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Extras | (lb 4, w 6) | 10 | – | – | – | – |
| Total | 194 all out (42.3 overs) | – | – | – | – | – |
Fall of Wickets: 25-1 (Wyatt, 5.2 ov), 45-2 (Bouchier, 9.4 ov), 70-3 (Jones, 13.1 ov), 85-4 (Knight, 17.3 ov), 150-5 (Capsey, 32.5 ov), 202-6 (Sciver-Brunt, 38.2 ov), 210-7 (Dunkley, 39.4 ov), 215-8 (Dean, 40.2 ov), 220-9 (Ecclestone, 41.5 ov), 194-10 (Filer, 42.3 ov).
South Africa Bowling
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marizanne Kapp | 9.3 | 2 | 20 | 5 | 2.11 |
| Nadine de Klerk | 8 | 0 | 35 | 2 | 4.38 |
| Ayabonga Khaka | 7 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 5.71 |
| Chloe Tryon | 6 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Masabata Klaas | 6 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 5.83 |
| Annerie Dercksen | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5.00 |
| Tazmin Brits | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5.00 |
Post-Match Insights
- South Africa Captain Laura Wolvaardt: “Still feels a bit unreal. You dream as a kid of scoring a hundred in a World Cup knock-out game. This probably has to be right at the top… The players put everything into today.”
- England Captain Heather Knight: “Wolvaardt’s innings was outstanding, and Kapp’s spell… she always steps up. There are things to think about after this but credit to South Africa.”
- This win avenged South Africa’s semi-final losses to England in 2017 and 2022, marking a breakthrough for the Proteas in 50-over World Cups (they had reached T20 finals in 2023 and 2024).
South Africa’s blend of experience and firepower shone through, setting up an exciting final showdown.
