India’s perfect start to the Women’s World Cup 2025 came crashing down in spectacular fashion on Thursday night as South Africa pulled off a sensational three-wicket victory at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. In a match that swung wildly between both teams, Nadine de Klerk’s breathtaking unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls trumped Richa Ghosh’s valiant 94 in an unforgettable battle of the number eights that will be remembered as one of the tournament’s defining moments.
Match Summary
| Team | Score | Overs | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 251 all out | 49.5 | Lost by 3 wickets |
| South Africa | 252/7 | 48.5 | Won by 3 wickets |
Top Scorers:
India – Richa Ghosh (94), Pratika Rawal (37), Sneh Rana (33)
South Africa – Nadine de Klerk (84*), Laura Wolvaardt (70), Chloe Tryon (49)
Best Bowlers:
India – Sneh Rana (2/47), Kranti Gaud (2/59)
South Africa – Chloe Tryon (3/32), Marizanne Kapp (2/45), Nadine de Klerk (2/52)
The result handed India their first defeat of the Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign and thrust South Africa firmly back into semifinal contention after their humiliating 69 all-out collapse against England in the tournament opener. More significantly, it demonstrated that no target is safe in this unpredictable World Cup, as South Africa completed the fifth-highest successful chase in Women’s World Cup history.
India’s Rollercoaster Innings
After South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and elected to field first, India’s innings resembled a dramatic three-act play with distinct phases of dominance, collapse, and resurrection.
Act One: The Promising Start (Overs 1-10)
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal navigated the powerplay confidently, racing to 55 without loss. Rawal looked particularly fluent, racing to 25 off just 18 balls with elegant strokeplay. The Women in Blue appeared set for a substantial total on a decent batting surface in Visakhapatnam.
Act Two: The Devastating Collapse (Overs 11-28)
The introduction of left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba changed everything. With just her second delivery, she had Mandhana caught at long-on for 23, ending the opener’s innings just after she had breached Belinda Clark’s record for most Women’s ODI runs in a calendar year (970).
What followed was carnage. India lost five wickets for a paltry 19 runs, crashing from a comfortable 83/1 to a desperate 102/6. The procession of dismissals told its own story:
- Pratika Rawal (37) fell to Tumi Sekhukhune
- Jemimah Rodrigues departed for a golden duck to Chloe Tryon
- Harleen Deol (9) became Mlaba’s second victim
- Captain Harmanpreet Kaur succumbed to Tryon
- Deepti Sharma nicked Marizanne Kapp behind
India’s Batting Collapse Timeline
| Wicket | Score | Batsman | Runs | Bowler |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 83/2 | Pratika Rawal | 37 | Sekhukhune |
| 3rd | 83/3 | Jemimah Rodrigues | 0 | Tryon |
| 4th | 90/4 | Harleen Deol | 9 | Mlaba |
| 5th | 91/5 | Harmanpreet Kaur | 10 | Tryon |
| 6th | 102/6 | Deepti Sharma | 5 | Kapp |
At 102/6 in the 28th over, India stared at certain humiliation. The middle-order had failed spectacularly, and with only the tail remaining, a total below 150 seemed the best-case scenario.
Act Three: Ghosh’s Stunning Revival (Overs 29-50)
Enter Richa Ghosh at number eight. The 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, showing maturity beyond her years, combined intelligent shot selection with explosive power-hitting to single-handedly resurrect India’s innings.
She found an able ally in Amanjot Kaur, and together they added 51 crucial runs for the seventh wicket. When Tryon dismissed Kaur for 14, ending her spell with figures of 3/32, Ghosh found an even more destructive partner in Sneh Rana.
The Ghosh-Rana partnership produced 88 runs off just 57 balls, completely altering the match dynamics. Rana’s cameo of 33 from 24 balls provided the perfect foil for Ghosh’s assault. The 47th over bowled by Ayabonga Khaka yielded 19 runs as both batters went nuclear, peppering the boundary with audacious shots.
Ghosh, dropped twice—on 76 and 84—reached her fifty off 53 balls and seemed destined for a maiden ODI century. She smashed 11 fours and four sixes, one of which traveled 75 meters. Her innings epitomized fearless cricket, mixing orthodox shots with inventive strokeplay.
Cruelly, Ghosh fell six runs short of the century milestone, caught at long-on off De Klerk while attempting to clear the boundary off a high full-toss in the final over. The dismissal came after what appeared to be a waist-high no-ball, though ball-tracking technology determined it legal by just four centimeters—a decision that sparked debate about accounting for batsman’s crouched position.
India’s last 10 overs produced 98 runs, taking them from a modest 153/6 to a competitive 251 all out. It represented a remarkable turnaround that gave the hosts genuine hope of defending the total.
South Africa’s Chase: Drama in Every Over
Chasing 252 for victory, South Africa endured their own emotional rollercoaster that kept the crowd of over 20,000 spectators on the edge of their seats throughout the 48.5-over pursuit.
Early Setbacks (Overs 1-7)
India struck immediately when debutant Kranti Gaud pulled off a stunning return catch to dismiss Tazmin Brits for a first-ball duck—the first of Brits’ ODI career. Gaud’s lightning-quick reflexes (0.5 seconds reaction time) saw her grab the ball with her left hand, setting the tone for India’s fightback.
Sune Luus successfully reviewed an LBW decision but fell in the very next over, fishing at a wide delivery and nicking off to leave South Africa reeling at 9/2.
Wolvaardt Steadies the Ship (Overs 8-35)
Captain Laura Wolvaardt played the anchor role to perfection, constructing a patient 70 from 111 balls. She received support from Marizanne Kapp and Chloe Tryon, but India kept chipping away with regular wickets to maintain pressure.
When South Africa slumped to 81/5 and then 142/6, India appeared favorites. The required run rate crept above seven per over, and with De Klerk and the tail exposed, victory seemed India’s for the taking.
De Klerk’s Masterclass (Overs 36-49)
What transpired next will be replayed for years. De Klerk, coming in at number eight mirroring Ghosh’s position, announced her intentions with brutal clarity. She hit five sixes and eight fours in an innings of stunning violence and timing.
Nadine de Klerk’s Explosive Scoring
| Milestone | Balls Faced | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 50 runs | 40 balls | 125.00 |
| 84* runs | 54 balls | 155.56 |
Her assault on Kranti Gaud in the 47th over proved decisive—back-to-back sixes followed by a four yielded 19 runs and tilted the match irreversibly toward South Africa. Gaud, who had earlier impressed with that return catch, finished with figures of 2/59 from her 10 overs but couldn’t contain De Klerk’s onslaught when it mattered most.
With 24 runs needed from 21 balls, De Klerk smashed Amanjot Kaur for consecutive sixes in the 48th over. Richa Ghosh went down with apparent cramps during this assault—a moment that drew comparisons to Rishabh Pant’s similar incident in the T20 World Cup final, with some questioning whether it was a tactical delay.
De Klerk sealed victory with her fifth six, depositing the ball over the boundary with seven balls remaining. Her unbeaten 84 off 54 balls represented one of the greatest finisher’s innings in recent Women’s World Cup history.
Key Performances and Stats
Richa Ghosh’s Record-Breaking Effort:
- Scored 94 runs off 76 balls with 11 fours and 4 sixes
- Highest score by a number eight in Women’s ODI World Cups
- Combined with De Klerk (84*) for the highest aggregate runs by two number eights in any ODI (men’s or women’s) at 178 runs—previous record was 90
Nadine de Klerk’s Heroics:
- Career-best ODI score of 84* off 54 balls
- Match-winning performance with bat after taking 2/52 with ball
- Five sixes and eight fours in an innings
- Player of the Match award
Laura Wolvaardt’s Captaincy:
- Led from the front with 70 off 111 balls
- Won her second consecutive toss as captain
- Tactical field placements kept India under pressure
Chloe Tryon’s All-Round Impact:
- Best bowling figures of 3/32 in 10 overs
- Crucial 49 runs with the bat in middle order
- Broke key partnerships at critical junctures
Impact on Women’s World Cup 2025 Standings
The result reshuffled the Women’s World Cup 2025 points table significantly. Both teams now have four points from three matches, but India retained the third position due to superior net run rate (+1.050) compared to South Africa’s -0.888, which still reflects their 69 all-out disaster against England.
Updated Points Table (Top 4)
| Position | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | +1.525 |
| 2 | New Zealand | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | +0.782 |
| 3 | India | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | +1.050 |
| 4 | South Africa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -0.888 |
The top four teams will qualify for the semifinals, making every remaining match crucial. India face reigning champions Australia on October 12 in a high-stakes encounter that could define their tournament trajectory. South Africa, buoyed by back-to-back victories after their opening-match humiliation, will face Bangladesh on October 13.
Tactical Analysis: Where India Went Wrong
Despite Ghosh’s heroics salvaging a competitive total, India’s loss can be attributed to several factors:
Middle-Order Collapse: Losing 5/19 in the middle overs cost India approximately 50-60 runs. Had batsmen like Harmanpreet Kaur (10), Deepti Sharma (5), or Jemimah Rodrigues (0) made starts, India could have posted 280-plus.
Dropped Catches: Pratika Rawal at point dropped Marizanne Kapp early in South Africa’s innings when the score was just 16/2. Kapp went on to score valuable runs that kept the innings progressing. Additionally, Ghosh was dropped twice, proving that both teams were guilty of costly errors.
Death Bowling: The inability to contain De Klerk in the final 10 overs proved decisive. India’s bowlers struggled to execute yorkers and variations, allowing De Klerk to free her arms and find boundaries at will.
Field Placements: Questions arose about India’s defensive field settings in the death overs. With De Klerk targeting specific areas, more aggressive field positioning might have created additional pressure.
What This Means for India
This defeat, while disappointing, doesn’t derail India’s Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign. However, it does expose vulnerabilities that opposition teams will target:
Middle-Order Fragility: The collapse from 83/1 to 102/6 highlighted India’s over-reliance on top-order contributions. The middle order needs to show more resilience against quality spin bowling.
Death Bowling Concerns: Containing aggressive lower-order batters in the death overs remains a challenge. India will need to develop better death-bowling strategies before facing teams like Australia and England.
Pressure Situations: The inability to close out a match from a position of strength—South Africa were 142/6—suggests India still lacks the killer instinct in pressure moments.
On the positive side, Richa Ghosh’s emergence as a genuine match-winner at number eight provides captain Harmanpreet Kaur with additional batting depth and tactical flexibility going forward.
Looking Ahead
India’s next assignment against Australia on October 12 represents their biggest test yet in the Women’s World Cup 2025. The defending champions have looked imperious in their opening two matches, and India will need to rediscover their winning formula quickly.
For South Africa, consecutive victories after their 69 all-out embarrassment demonstrate remarkable character and resilience. De Klerk’s match-winning performance suggests they possess the firepower to challenge any team in the tournament.
Read More: India Snatch Dramatic Draw as Rahim Ali’s Last-Gasp Strike Stuns Singapore
FAQs
What was the final score of the India vs South Africa Women’s World Cup match?
South Africa won by 3 wickets, chasing down India’s 251 all out by scoring 252/7 in 48.5 overs.
Who was the Player of the Match?
Nadine de Klerk won Player of the Match for her match-winning 84* off 54 balls and bowling figures of 2/52.
How many runs did Richa Ghosh score?
Richa Ghosh scored a brilliant 94 off 76 balls, falling six runs short of her maiden ODI century.
When does India play their next Women’s World Cup 2025 match?
India faces Australia on October 12, 2025, in a crucial encounter that could define their semifinal chances.
Where was the India vs South Africa match played?
The match was played at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, India.
