South Africa Snatch Victory by 3 Wickets in Low-Scoring Duel
In a gripping encounter that tested the limits of composure under pressure, South Africa Women edged out India Women by three wickets in Match 10 of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on October 9. India, batting first after losing the toss, scraped together 251 all out, with Deepti Sharma’s all-round brilliance—52 runs and 3 for 35—keeping them in the hunt, but South Africa’s chase, anchored by Laura Wolvaardt’s gritty 76, reached 252 for 7 with just seven balls to spare. This hard-fought win marked South Africa’s second consecutive triumph, lifting their net run rate to +0.567 and bolstering semi-final credentials, while India, undone by a middle-order collapse, absorbed their second loss, NRR dipping to -0.123 as home soil turns treacherous.
The evening fixture, illuminated by Ekana’s floodlights and attended by a passionate 20,000-strong crowd waving tricolors, unfolded on a two-paced pitch offering variable bounce and turn—ideal for a tactical battle rather than fireworks. Sune Luus’s decision to bowl first paid dividends, her seamers extracting early movement before spinners dominated, while India’s fielding lapses—four dropped catches—proved pivotal. For captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the defeat amplified frustrations after a promising start, her team’s inability to defend a par total echoing past heartbreaks. As South Africa punched the air in jubilation, the World Cup’s middle phase intensified: Australia and England atop, but the Proteas’ resilience closes the gap, India facing must-win urgency against Australia.
Luus’s toss fortune allowed South Africa to exploit the new ball’s seam. India’s lineup featured firepower: Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, and Shree Charani. Rodrigues’ inclusion over Harleen Deol added sweep prowess, Deepti’s off-spin the counter to South Africa’s middle. South Africa countered with depth: Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Luus (c), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nonkululeko Mlaba, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, and Masabata Klaas. Mlaba’s left-arm spin over Sutherland’s pace targeted India’s right-handers, Kapp’s all-round threat omnipresent.
Umpires Nitin Menon and Kim Cotton commenced play amid the Lucknow roar, Mandhana and Shafali facing Kapp’s probing lines on a surface with a green tinge fading to dust.
India’s innings commenced with caution, the openers grappling with South Africa’s seam movement under lights. Mandhana, elegant as ever, nurdled Khaka through point for a single, but Shafali’s aggression surfaced early: she pulled Klaas for four over square leg in the fourth over. Yet, the pitch’s uneven bounce betrayed: Kapp’s lifter induced Shafali’s edge to Jafta in the sixth—9 off 12, India 18 for 1. Rodrigues joined Mandhana, their partnership a slow burn: Mandhana swept Mlaba fine for four, Rodrigues’ deft late cut off de Klerk racing away. The 62-run stand off 85 balls pushed to 80 for 1 at drinks, Mandhana’s watchful 32 off 48 setting a platform amid dots.
Post-drinks, acceleration beckoned, but South Africa struck. Luus’s off-spin deceived Rodrigues—lbw for 25 off 42, the ball drifting in to hit middle. Harmanpreet arrived with intent: she lofted Tryon over mid-on for six, her bottom-hand whip through covers off Khaka yielding four. Partnering Mandhana, they added 45 in 52 balls, Harmanpreet’s 28 featuring crisp drives. But Mlaba’s arm ball trapped Mandhana plumb for 42 off 65—125 for 3 in the 28th over, the review futile. Richa Ghosh exploded briefly: pulling Kapp for six, racing to 22 off 18 with three boundaries, but holed out to long-on off Luus for a rash slog.
Deepti Sharma’s arrival stabilized: she defended Mlaba’s darts, then swept Klaas for four. With Amanjot Kaur, they rebuilt—Deepti’s reverse sweep off Tryon a cheeky four, Amanjot’s flicked six off de Klerk. Their 48-run stand off 58 balls lifted to 173 for 4 by the 38th, Deepti’s fifty off 62 balls a gritty milestone. Yet, collapse loomed: Amanjot edged Kapp’s cutter to slip for 22 off 31, Sneh Rana skied Mlaba to cover for 0—173 for 6 in 39th. Renuka scratched 5 before bowled by Luus, Reddy holed out to deep midwicket off Tryon for 4. Deepti’s vigil ended at 52 off 72—caught at long-off off Kapp—while Charani (0) watched as India folded to 251 in 48.3 overs, last four wickets for 78. South Africa’s bowlers—Kapp 3-45, Mlaba 2-38, Luus 2-42—economical at 5.21; Harmanpreet later admitted, “We lost momentum; Deepti’s fight kept us alive.”
South Africa’s chase demanded precision, needing 252 on a wearing track where spin would bite harder. Wolvaardt and Brits opened steadily: Wolvaardt clipped Renuka off her pads for four in the second over, Brits’ cover drive off Reddy a silken boundary. The powerplay amassed 42 for no loss, but Deepti’s introduction yielded the first blow: her drifter bowled Brits for 18 off 28, the ball turning past the edge. At 48 for 1 after 12 overs, Bosch joined Wolvaardt, their 55-run stand off 68 balls a lesson in rotation: Bosch swept Sneh fine, Wolvaardt’s straight drive off Amanjot racing away. Drinks at 103 for 1 saw the required rate at 4.80, South Africa cruising.
India’s spinners ramped up: Deepti returned to trap Bosch lbw for 22 off 35—158 for 2 in the 30th, the arm ball skidding low. Luus arrived, nurgling singles, but fell to Charani’s leg-break—edging to Ghosh for 12 off 20. At 170 for 3 after 35 overs, needing 82 off 90, Tryon ignited: she lofted Deepti over extra cover for six, her aggressive sweeps pushing the rate. Wolvaardt’s fifty off 72 balls anchored, her flicked four off Sneh a release. Their 42-run stand off 48 balls had South Africa eyeing victory, but India fought: Renuka’s bouncer induced Tryon’s top-edge to point for 28 off 25—212 for 4 in 42nd.
De Klerk joined Wolvaardt, but drama unfolded. Sneh’s quicker ball bowled de Klerk for 8 off 12, Jafta run-out by a direct throw from Rodrigues for 0—212 for 6 in 43rd, 40 needed off 42. Mlaba and Wolvaardt rallied: Mlaba’s defiant four off Reddy, Wolvaardt’s swept six off Charani. But Deepti’s third strike—clean bowling Mlaba for 9 off 15 with a yorker—left 225 for 7 in 46th, 27 off 24. Kapp arrived, her first ball a heave for four off Sneh, but India tightened: two dots, then Kapp’s lbw shout turned down.
Needing 19 off 12, with Wolvaardt on 76* off 98 (8 fours, 1 six), Klaas at the other end (1* off 2). Renuka’s over leaked 7—wides and singles—but her yorker kept it tight. Deepti’s final over: four singles, then Klaas’ nudged two off the fifth ball. Last ball: needing 3 off 1, Klaas dabbed through point for four—South Africa home at 252 for 7 in 48.5 overs. Wolvaardt’s knock a chase masterclass, Deepti’s 3-35 heroic but insufficient; drops of Tryon and Kapp costly. Luus, beaming, said, “Laura’s steel won it; we stayed calm.” Wolvaardt added, “Tough chase, but depth prevailed.” Kaur rued, “Bowling was good, but fielding let us down.”
The verdict reverberated. South Africa’s grit vaults them to third, Wolvaardt’s consistency (averaging 68) a semi-final pillar, Kapp’s 3-45 her ninth three-fer. Mlaba’s emergence complements, their chase under 5 run rate a template. India, hosts humbled twice, confront reality: Deepti’s all-round 52 & 3-35 standout, but middle-order average 15 alarms. Mandhana’s 42 promising, yet Harmanpreet’s 28 underwhelms. Australia awaits: win imperative, or peril deepens.
This duel transcended the score—a testament to South Africa’s nerve, India’s near-miss fueling fire. Ekana’s echoes fade, but the World Cup’s pulse quickens, underdogs rising, favorites tested.
