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Sensational De Klerk leads SA to extraordinary three-wicket win

football09 October 2025 18:31| © MWP
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Nadine de Klerk © Getty Images

Nadine de Klerk launched a sensational counter-attack from No 8 to lead the Proteas to an extraordinary three-wicket victory against the hosts and tournament favourites, India, in their Women's World Cup match at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.

De Klerk came to the crease at 142 for six in reply to India’s 251 all out with just 14 overs remaining and hammered 84* from only 54 deliveries with eight fours and five sixes and shared a seventh-wicket stand of 69 with Chloe Tryon to revive South Africa’s hopes, after slumping to 81 for five.

It was one of, if not the best, chasing innings in South Africa’s history.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt battled valiantly to keep the innings together with 70 from 111 deliveries, and Tryon’s 49 from 66 balls (5x4) was crucial to the revival, but De Klerk was almost solely responsible for a victory as astonishing as it seemed unlikely.

India also struggled early with spinners Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tryon, who shared five wickets to reduce the hosts to 102 for six before a brilliant 94 from just 77 balls from wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh powered the total to 251.

South Africa’s initial demise began almost immediately when in-form Tazmin Brits fell to a stunning, one-handed reflex catch by Kranti Gaud off her own bowling, and she looked as shocked as the batter when the ball stuck.

Sune Luus (5) edged a cut shot against seamer Amanjot Kaur to ‘keeper Ghosh and Marizanne Kapp’s brief flurry of 20 ended when she was bowled by offspinner Sneh Rana while using her feet and attempting to drive straight.

Anneke Bosch (1) was also caught and bowled, this time by offspinner Deepti Sharma, but hopes flickered again with a sixth-wicket partnership worth 61 between Wolvaardt and Tryon before seamer Kranti Gaud (2-59) appeared to end them with a full, straight delivery which crashed into Wolvaardt’s stumps.

Ghosh had been in scintillating form, smashing nine fours and four sixes and sharing a remarkable eighth-wicket partnership of 88 with offspinner Sneh Rana, who contributed a dazzling cameo of 33 (6x4) from only 24 balls.

There was little to suggest the middle order collapse when India reached 55 without loss in the 11th over but Smriti Bandana (23) toe-ended a flighted delivery from Mlaba (2-46) to Sune Luus at long on and Harleen Deol (13) was beaten by a beauty of a delivery, which drifted in before spinning past the outside edge to hit middle and off.

Opener and top scorer Pratika Rawal was undone by a remarkable slower ball from seamer Tumi Sekhukhune, which looped out of her hand at just 76 km/h, befuddling the batter into an equally loopy leading edge to Brits at midwicket.

Tryon (3-32) claimed the next two wickets with Jemimah Rodrigues missing a sweep at her fourth ball to be trapped lbw, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, frustrated with just nine runs from 24 balls, slapping a drive to Marizanne Kapp at backward point.

When Deepti Sharma (4) was caught down the legside by ‘keeper Sinalo Jafta off the pace of Kapp (2-45) the home side and tournament favourites had slumped to 102-6 and on the verge of an early crisis.

But India rebuilt and appeared to have the match under complete control before De Klerk ripped up the script with the innings of a lifetime.

“She’s been hitting the ball like that in the nets for a while, but to see her do it in a match is incredibly special. It was one of the best knocks I’ve seen,” said Wolvaardt afterwards.

India and South Africa now occupy third and fourth place on the eight-team log after three matches out of seven. The top four qualify for the semifinals.

SOUTH AFRICA: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

INDIA: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Goud, Shree Charani

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