COLOMBO: A superb all-round performance, highlighted by outstanding contributions from Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp, propelled the Proteas Women to the top of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 standings after a comprehensive 150-run Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) victory over Pakistan in their penultimate league stage match in Colombo on Tuesday.
Wolvaardt (90 off 82 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes), Kapp (68* off 43 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes) and Suné Luus (61 off 59 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes) produced a batting masterclass to guide South Africa to their highest-ever World Cup total of 312/9 in a rain-shortened 40-over innings.
With the ball, Kapp continued her fine form, claiming a return of three for 20 in five overs, as South Africa restricted Pakistan to 83/7 in a DLS-adjusted 20-over reply after multiple rain stoppages.
After losing the toss, South Africa were sent in to bat and suffered an early setback when Tazmin Brits (0) edged behind off Fatima Sana (1/69) in the second over. Rain soon halted play with the score on 6/1, causing a delay of more than two hours before the contest resumed as a 40-over-a-side match.
On resumption, Wolvaardt and Luus rebuilt superbly, reaching 54/1 by the end of the powerplay before adding a platform-setting 100-run partnership. Luus raised her bat for a 17th career fifty before falling to Nashra Sandhu (3/45), who also dismissed Wolvaardt after she raced to her 38th One-Day International (ODI) half-century.
Kapp then took charge alongside Chloé Tryon (21) and later Nadine de Klerk (41), accelerating the scoring with a string of boundary-finding strokes. Despite a few late wickets, the Proteas finished strongly on 312/9, setting a formidable total.
Pakistan’s chase of a revised target of 306 experienced a stuttering start as Ayabonga Khaka (1/14) and Kapp tore through the top order. Khaka removed Muneeba Ali (5) before Kapp dismissed Omaima Sohail (6), Sidra Ameen (13) and Aliya Riaz (3) to leave Pakistan reeling at 35/4 after 10 overs.
Further rain interruptions saw the match eventually reduced to 20 overs, with Pakistan handed another revised target of 234.
With hopes of a Pakistan victory having quickly faded, Nondumiso Shangase (2/19) struck twice in the remaining overs of the encounter, removing Natalia Pervaiz (20) and Sana (2), before a run-out ended the innings on 83/7 to complete a dominant 150-run win for South Africa.
The emphatic result, their fifth straight victory, lifted the Proteas Women to the top of the tournament standings ahead of their final league match against Australia at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Saturday, 25 October.
Proteas Women Squad – ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (DP World Lions), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Karabo Meso (DP World Lions), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Nondumiso Shangase (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), and Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)
Travelling Reserve
Miané Smit (Fidelity Titans)
Fixtures – ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
Saturday, 25 October at 11h30 – South Africa vs Australia (Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore)
Wednesday, 29 October at 11h30 – Semi-final 1 (TBC)
Thursday, 30 October at 11h30 – Semi-final 2 (Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai)
Sunday, 02 November at 11h30 – Final (TBC)
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