All-Round Kapp Steers South Africa to Dominant Victory, Tops World Cup Standings
COLOMBO: Pakistan have been officially knocked out of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 after suffering a massive 150-run defeat at the hands of South Africa in a rain-affected match here at the R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.
The decisive blow to Pakistan’s semi-final hopes came after multiple rain interruptions reduced the target, leaving the Green Shirts to chase a revised target of 234 runs in just 20 overs. They could only manage 83/7, falling well short.
Earlier, the Proteas Women, put into bat first, piled up a formidable total of 312/5 in 40 overs, the match having been shortened due to a two-hour-long rain interruption. South Africa recovered swiftly from an early setback—Tazmin Brits falling for a duck in the second over—thanks to a crucial 118-run partnership between captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus, both of whom notched half-centuries.
Wolvaardt was the top-scorer for South Africa with an aggressive 90 off 82 deliveries, featuring 10 fours and two sixes. Luus contributed 61 off 59 balls. Following Luus’s dismissal by Nashra Sandhu, all-rounder Marizanne Kapp took charge, first sharing a vital 64-run stand with Wolvaardt, and then powering the final overs with an unbeaten 68 off 43 deliveries, laced with six fours and three sixes. She was ably supported by a blistering cameo from Nadine de Klerk, who smashed 41 runs from just 16 deliveries.
For Pakistan, spinner Nashra Sandhu was the pick of the bowlers, claiming three wickets for 45 runs, followed by Sadia Iqbal with two.
In Pakistan’s arduous chase, wicketkeeper-batter Sidra Nawaz top-scored with an unbeaten 22 off 33 deliveries, supported briefly by Natalia Pervaiz (20 off 24 balls). The duo’s 31-run partnership for the fifth wicket offered a small measure of resistance.
South Africa’s bowling attack was led by the sensational Marizanne Kapp, who completed a brilliant all-round performance by taking three wickets for just 20 runs in her five overs. She was supported by Nondumiso Shangase, who took two wickets, and Ayabonga Khaka, who chipped in with one.
The commanding 150-run victory propelled South Africa to the top of the ICC Women’s World Cup standings, now holding 10 points in six matches with a net run rate of 0.276.
