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WORLD CUP SEMIS LOOMING: Australia, SA rampant; India desperate

cricket22 October 2025 18:11| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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Proteas Women © Gallo Images

A brief glance at the group-stage log at the Women’s World Cup might suggest that most pre-tournament predictions are materialising as envisaged but the reality is rarely that simple. 

India started as favourites on home soil but nerves have played their part in three pulsating losses to Australia – in a record run-chase – in the game of the tournament so far, to South Africa and again by just four runs to England.

Australia, England and the Proteas Women all qualified for the semifinals with games to spare leaving India and New Zealand to face each other in a straight quarterfinal knockout on Thursday for a semifinal place against the winner of the final group match between Australia and South Africa on Saturday.

England began with a stunning victory against South Africa, dismissing Laura Wolvaardt’s team for just 69 and knocking off the runs in under 15 overs but it proved to be a portent for the future for neither team.

Whereas the Proteas reeled off five consecutive victories with increasing ease and precision, England have coughed and stuttered, squeezing past India by just four runs – courtesy of more Indian nerves – and escaping almost certain defeat against Pakistan having limped to 133-9 before rain washed the match away with Pakistan 34-0 after six overs.

DEPTH AND CONSISTENCY

While Australia are unquestionably the team to beat (as always), South Africa owe their improving form to wider range of players than any other team.

The Aussies have the highest run-scorer in the tournament so far in captain Alyssa Healy who has two centuries in her 294 from six games and the highest wicket-taker, seam bowling allrounder, Annabel Sutherland, with 15 so far.

There is no shortage of allrounders in the Australian team but there are even more in South Africa’s, led by the best in the world, Marizanne Kapp, and player of the tournament so far, Nadine de Klerk.

Wolvaardt is just 24 run behind Healy heading into Saturday’s match with three 50s in her 270 at an average of 54, but no less than five other batters have scored 130+ runs, more than any other team.

De Klerk’s 165 at average of 82.5 is eye-catching but even more impressive is the strike rate of 150.

Her performance against India ranks among South Africa’s finest, men or women.

Having slipped to 142-6 in pursuit of 252 against India, Chloe Tryon (49) steadied the innings before De Klerk hammered a glorious 84* from just 54 balls with eight fours and five sixes to seal a famous three-wicket victory.

Kapp, too, has 162 runs so far with opener Tazmin Brits (161), Sune Luus (151) and Tryon 134 all contributing towards victories.

Depth and consistency breeds confidence even more than brilliant individual performances.

Having said that, the Proteas are more than happy to rely on the individual brilliance of left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba with the ball.

Her 11 wickets are way ahead of Kapp (6), Tryon and De Klerk, who have five apiece, but unlike most other teams, the Proteas have used all of their 15 players ensuring freshness and valuable game time whoever is required for the final two or three matches.

New Zealand may yet spoil India’s party. They might even have done so already had they not suffered two washouts in monsoon-hit Colombo, co-host only because geo-politics mean that Pakistan cannot play in India.

But questions have been legitimately asked about why so many matches were scheduled in the Sri Lankan capital at such a meteorologically risky time of year.

The semifinals take place on Wednesday and Thursday next week (29 & 30 Octpber) with the final on Sunday, 2 November.

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