ICC Women's World Cup 2025: Nadine de Klerk's Brilliant Knock Powers South Africa To Stunning Win vs India

Riding on Nadine de Klerk's career best knock, South Africa, on Thursday (October 9), beat India by three wickets at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.

The defeat has ended India's winning start in the ongoing World Cup. The Women in Blue started their campaign with back-to-back wins before suffering a defeat against South Africa. With two wins from three games, India are currently at the third spot in the points table and will face table-toppers Australia next.

India's top and middle order exposed

South Africa, on the other hand, is in the fourth spot with two wins from three matches. They began their campaign with a 10-wicket defeat against England before bouncing back with impressive wins over New Zealand and India.

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For the third match in a row, India faced a batting collapse and were reeling at 102/6. The home side was at 83/1 at one stage before Harleen Deol's dismissal in the 17th over triggered a collapse. India went on to lose five wickets for just 19 runs to find themselves firmly on the back foot.

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Richa Ghosh then took charge of the innings and scored a brilliant 94 to propel her team to a competitive total of 251 runs. Her knock came off just 77 balls and was studded with 11 fours and 4 sixes.

Richa and Amanjot Kaur steadied the ship by adding 51 runs for the seventh wicket before the latter departed for 13. It was followed by an 88-run stand between Richa and Sneh Rana for the eighth wicket. Richa looked destined to complete a stunning century but lost her wicket on the fourth ball of the final over.

For South Africa, Chloe Tryon picked up 3 wickets while Marizanne Kapp, de Klerk and Nonkululeko Mlaba claimed two wickets apiece.

Nadine de Klerk takes South Africa home:

Chasing 252 runs, South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals right from the start and were reeling at 81/5 in the 20th over. Their chances of winning the match looked as good as over at that stage but captain Laura Wolvaardt kept her team in the contest with a fine knock of 70 runs.

She and Tryon revived South Africa's hopes with a 61-run stand for the sixth wicket before Kranti Gaud dismissed the South Africa captain to put India in the driver's seat. However, the wicket did not bring any respite for India as de Klerk did not let them capitalise on the breakthrough.

She and Tryon turned the game on its head by adding 69 runs for the seventh wicket. Sneh Rana ended the stand by dismissing Tryon for 49 but de Klerk stayed till the end and scored an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls to take her team home inside 49 overs. Her knock was studded with 8 fours and 5 sixes.

India vs South Africa brief scores:

India 251 (49.5 overs): Richa Ghosh 94 (77); Chloe Tryon 3-32

South Africa 252-7 (48.5 overs): Nadine de Klerk 84* (54), Laura Wolvaardt 70 (111)

South Africa won by three wickets