In a stunning turn of events at Visakhapatnam, South Africa handed India their first defeat of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, clinching a dramatic three-wicket victory. Nadine de Klerk emerged as the match-winner with an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls, steering her team home in a chase that swung wildly from despair to triumph. Despite Richa Ghosh’s heroic counter-attack of 94 off 77 balls for India, the hosts collapsed from 102/6 to 251 all out, leaving the door open for a South African resurgence.
India’s innings began with early promise but faltered as the top order struggled against disciplined seam bowling. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana both fell cheaply, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s dismissal to a loose drive deepened India’s woes. At 102/6, India looked dead in the water before Richa Ghosh unleashed one of the great lower-order counter-attacks in Women’s World Cup history. Her innings, laced with 11 fours and three sixes, rescued India from embarrassment. Partnering with Amanjot Kaur and later Sneh Rana, Ghosh powered India past 250, giving their bowlers a fighting chance.
However, South Africa’s chase, though shaky at first, proved their depth and mental toughness. The start was rocky — Tazmin Brits fell for a duck and Marizanne Kapp nicked behind early. Laura Wolvaardt, the captain, steadied the innings with a composed 70, showing poise under pressure. She found solid support from Chloe Tryon, whose 49 off 56 balls kept the scoreboard ticking as India’s bowlers failed to maintain consistent pressure.
When Wolvaardt departed at 180/6, the momentum seemed to shift back to India. But Nadine de Klerk had other ideas. Batting with remarkable clarity, she combined controlled aggression with fearless hitting. De Klerk’s onslaught in the final overs — including consecutive boundaries and two towering sixes off Kranti Gaud — dismantled India’s death-over plans. With seven balls to spare, she completed one of the most memorable chases in Women’s World Cup history, sealing South Africa’s win at 252/7.
For India, it was a bitter lesson in composure and consistency. Richa Ghosh’s innings stood out as a shining performance in a losing cause, but the lack of partnerships at the top hurt their campaign. The bowlers, too, couldn’t capitalize on the early breakthroughs, allowing South Africa’s middle and lower order to rebuild with confidence. The fielding — including a dropped catch of de Klerk at 42 — compounded India’s misery.
South Africa, on the other hand, will view this as a statement victory — not merely a win but proof of their growing resilience. Wolvaardt’s leadership, Tryon’s fight, and de Klerk’s brilliance combined to deliver one of their greatest one-day victories.
As the tournament moves forward, India will have to reassess their batting structure and mental approach under pressure. South Africa’s win has blown the competition wide open, reminding everyone that in modern women’s cricket, reputations mean little once the first ball is bowled.
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