Richa Ghosh’s valiant 94 off 77 balls wasn’t enough as Nadine de Klerk’s explosive unbeaten 84 from 54 deliveries led South Africa to a dramatic come-from-behind three-wicket win over India in Visakhapatnam on Thursday. The defeat marked India’s first loss of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup. De Klerk received strong support from Laura Wolvaardt, who scored 70, and Chloe Tryon, who contributed with 49 runs and bowling figures of 3 for 32, as South Africa recovered from 81 for 5 in pursuit of 252 and sealed victory with seven balls left.
India set up a par score batting first
India’s innings followed a familiar pattern of early promise followed by a middle-order slump before Richa Ghosh’s brilliance rescued them once again. After being asked to bat first, Pratika Rawal gave India a lively start, striking multiple boundaries off Marizanne Kapp in the opening over. Her aggressive approach ensured a steady beginning, and together with Smriti Mandhana, she added a half-century stand. Mandhana took her time to settle but just as she began accelerating, Nonkululeko Mlaba dismissed her in the 11th over. Rawal and Harleen Deol tried to rebuild but Mlaba struck again to clean up Deol six overs later, triggering a collapse.
India’s middle order struggled to cope with left-arm spin as Chloe Tryon joined in the attack, leaving the hosts tottering at 102 for 6 by the 26th over. That brought Richa Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur together, who once again took on the task of stabilizing the innings. Amanjot opted for a cautious approach, while Ghosh controlled her aggression and rotated the strike efficiently. Their fifty-run stand helped India regain some composure, but Amanjot’s dismissal after a long partnership meant India were still short of a competitive total.
Ghosh then shifted gears, breaking loose by smashing a slower ball from Nadine de Klerk for a six down the ground. Sneh Rana supported her by attacking Mlaba with back-to-back boundaries in the 43rd over. Once Mlaba’s spell ended and Ghosh reached her fifty, she unleashed a powerful assault, punishing every poor delivery despite some luck with dropped catches and a missed run-out. Together with Rana, she added a rapid 88-run partnership off just 53 balls for the eighth wicket. Her counterattack ended in the final over when she mistimed a full toss to long on, as India were bowled out for 251.
South Africa reaches the finish line despite early blows
South Africa’s run chase got off to a rocky start, losing early wickets in quick succession. Tazmin Brits fell for a duck in the very first over, hitting straight back to Kranti Gaud, who took a sharp return catch. Soon after, Sune Luus edged one behind to the wicketkeeper. Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp tried to rebuild but Kapp was bowled by a straighter delivery from Sneh Rana, sparking a collapse that left South Africa struggling. On a slow, turning surface, timing the ball proved difficult, and though Wolvaardt found the middle of the bat, runs were hard to come by. With consistent breakthroughs from India, the visitors slumped to 81 for 5 by the 20th over.
Despite being on the back foot, South Africa’s middle order showed resilience as Chloe Tryon and Wolvaardt combined for a patient 61-run partnership. They handled India’s varied spin attack with composure, playing out the slower deliveries and the occasional quicker ones with care. The stand steadied the innings before Wolvaardt was undone by a perfect yorker from Gaud. Even with India appearing firmly in control, Tryon continued to fight on alongside Nadine de Klerk, and the duo began to shift momentum in South Africa’s favor as the asking rate increased.
The chase turned dramatically in the final overs when de Klerk launched a counterattack starting in the 46th over, hitting a six and a four to ignite hope. Although Tryon was dismissed later that over, ending the crucial 69-run stand, de Klerk kept the pressure on, smashing Gaud for 18 runs in the 47th over. With lower-order support dwindling, she cleverly manipulated the strike and picked her moments to attack. Her calculated display reached its peak in the penultimate over when she clubbed two deliveries over the ropes, sealing South Africa’s second win of the tournament with a thrilling finish.
Brief Scores: India 251 in 49.5 overs (Richa Ghosh 94, Pratika Rawal 37; Chloe Tryon 3-32, Marizanne Kapp 2-45) lost to South Africa 252/7 in 48.5 overs (Nadine de Klerk 84*, Laura Wolvaardt 70) by 3 wickets