Laura Wolvaardt (Photo ICC)
Laura Wolvaardt’s brilliant 90 set up a dominant 150-run (DLS method) win for South Africa against Pakistan at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.
The Proteas blasted their way to a formidable total of 312 for nine from just 40 overs after their innings was punctuated by bad weather.
Marizanne Kapp (68) and Sune Luus (61) also made half centuries in Colombo before Nadine de Klerk struck 41 from just 16 balls as South Africa won their fifth consecutive World Cup match for the first time in their history.
Kapp (3/20) then produced a star turn with the ball to restrict Pakistan to 35 for four in response and there was no way back either side of the showers as South Africa moved to the top of the group stage table.
Pakistan struck early on in South Africa’s innings as Tazmin Brits edged Fatima Sana to Natalia Pervaiz at first slip for a duck.
A lengthy rain delay followed but when play did resume over two hours later, with the match reduced to 40 overs per side, Wolvaardt and Luus made hay as the pair put on 118 for the second wicket.
Nashra Sundhu was the pick of Pakistan’s bowlers, returning figures of three for 45, and struck to remove Luus for 61.
Captain Wolvaardt powered past fifty with a flaying drive through the covers and continued in aggressive fashion after Annerie Dercksen was run out for 9.
The opener and Kapp took South Africa past 200 but the former was denied what would have been a wonderful century thanks to a delightful delivery from Sundhu that saw Wolvaardt stumped for 90.
Kapp’s unbeaten 68 from 43 balls guided South Africa’s innings towards a big total as Karabo Meso and Chloe Tryon came and went.
De Klerk entered the fray at the start of the 36th over with her country on 253 for six and she provided the fireworks with a knock that featured three fours and four sixes.
Kapp’s second six took South Africa past 300 before Sadia Iqbal removed De Klerk in the final over which also saw Nondumiso Shangase and Nonkululeko Mlaba depart.
In response to South Africa’s mammoth total, Ayabonga Khaka saw the back of Muneeba Ali in the second over as the batter skied the ball to mid-on.
Kapp’s fourth over then ripped through Pakistan’s top order as the 35-year-old pinned Omaima Sohail leg before – the ball after she was dropped at slip – and followed it up three deliveries later by accounting for Sidra Amin, who edged behind to Meso for 13.
Aliya Riaz became Kapp’s third victim when she tickled behind to Meso to leave Pakistan 35 for four after nine overs.
The bad weather then returned, thwarting multiple attempts to get the game back underway in time for a result to be permissible.
After a series of breaks, play eventually resumed for the final time with Pakistan on 70 for four after 12 overs chasing a revised total of 234 from 20 overs.
Knocking off 186 in 48 balls was always going to be a tall order and Shangase made that task all but impossible when she picked up the wickets of Natalia and Fatima.
South Africa’s bowlers continued to race through the remaining overs in order to beat the weather and duly wrapped up victory as Rameen Shamim was runout off the final ball of the shortened innings.
Wolvaardt hailed South Africa’s superb batting performance.
“Yeah, it was pretty close [to a complete batting performance],” said Wolvaardt. “We had someone up top batting through and then someone controlling the middle. Sune batted really well as well. We had the 100-run partnership, and then there was the big finish. We ticked a lot of boxes, so I’m very happy with that after being sent in to bat.
“Scoring 312 in 40 overs is really nice for us. Obviously, [there were] performances all around. Kappy was amazing in the middle and Nadine was sensational at the end. It’s really nice to see everyone chipping in in different phases in the lineup.”
Not only did Kapp contribute with the bat but she also starred with the ball, taking three for 20 to dismantle Pakistan’s top order and leave their opponents with no way back into the contest.
However, despite being the pick of South Africa’s bowlers, Kapp felt there was room for improvement where her bowling was concerned.
“Honestly, I didn’t bowl that well,” she said. “I wasn’t happy with my bowling. I’ve felt I’ve bowled better in previous games but luckily today I got the rewards. I would love to play on this wicket a bit more, it wasn’t the same wicket we played Sri Lanka on, but I’m just happy with the win tonight.”
The win moves South Africa top of the group stage table and also marks the first time they have won five World Cup games in a row.
Meanwhile, the result means Pakistan remain the only winless team at the World Cup and have only one more chance to correct that when they take on Sri Lanka next.
Captain Fatima Sana was stark in her assessment of the game and lauded the efforts of South Africa.
She said: “Today’s the day that the bowlers did not perform well. We have to accept it, and I think the way their guys played, that is awesome. We have to be more calm in that situation because of the way their guys played.
“After the second over, which was before the [first] rain [delay], and after the rain, it was like two totally different scenarios, because the conditions were bad. We tried to be more rhythmic in that situation. But it was totally different, and it was very difficult to bowl on.”
RESULTS
South Africa 312/9 from 40.0 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 90, Marizanne Kapp 68*; Nashra Sundhu 3/45, Sadia Iqbal 3/63)
Pakistan 83/7 from 20.0 overs (Sidra Nawaz 22*; Natalia Parvaiz 20; Marizanne Kapp 3/20, Nondumiso Shangase 2/19)
South Africa won by 150 runs (DLS method).
