A superb all-round performance highlighted by outstanding contributions propelled the Proteas Women to the top of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 standings after a comprehensive 150-run Duckworth–Lewis–Stern victory over Pakistan in their penultimate league stage match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, 21 October 2025.
Skipper Laura Wolvaardt (90 off 82 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes), Marizanne Kapp (68* off 43 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes) and Suné Luus (61 off 59 balls, 8 fours, 2 sixes) produced a batting masterclass to guide South Africa to their highest-ever World Cup total of 312/9 in a rain-shortened 40-over innings.
With the ball, Kapp continued her fine form, claiming a return of three for 20 in five overs, as South Africa restricted Pakistan to 83/7 in a DLS-adjusted 20-over reply after multiple rain stoppages.
After losing the toss, South Africa were sent in to bat and suffered an early setback when Tazmin Brits (0) edged behind off Fatima Sana (1/69) in the second over. Rain soon halted play with the score on 6/1, causing a delay of more than two hours before the contest resumed as a 40-over-a-side match.
On resumption, Wolvaardt and Luus rebuilt superbly, reaching 54/1 by the end of the powerplay before adding a platform-setting 100-run partnership. Luus raised her bat for a 17th career fifty before falling to Nashra Sandhu (3/45), who also dismissed Wolvaardt after she raced to her 38th One-Day International (ODI) half-century.
Kapp then took charge alongside Chloé Tryon (21) and later Nadine de Klerk (41), accelerating the scoring with a string of boundary-finding strokes. Despite a few late wickets, the Proteas finished strongly on 312/9, setting a formidable total.
Pakistan’s chase of a revised target of 306 experienced a stuttering start as Ayabonga Khaka (1/14) and Kapp tore through the top order. Khaka removed Muneeba Ali (5) before Kapp dismissed Omaima Sohail (6), Sidra Ameen (13) and Aliya Riaz (3) to leave Pakistan reeling at 35/4 after 10 overs.
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Further rain interruptions saw the match eventually reduced to 20 overs, with Pakistan handed another revised target of 234.
With hopes of a Pakistan victory having quickly faded, Nondumiso Shangase (2/19) struck twice in the remaining overs of the encounter, removing Natalia Pervaiz (20) and Sana (2), before a run-out ended the innings on 83/7 to complete a dominant 150-run win for South Africa.
The emphatic result, their fifth straight victory, lifted the Proteas Women to the top of the tournament standings ahead of their final league match against Australia at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Saturday, 25 October.
South Africa and Knockout Fixtures and Results at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025
Thu, 25 Sept- 1st Warm-Up: South Africa vs Bangladesh – Washed out without a ball bowled
Sun, 28 Sept- 2nd Warm-Up: South Africa beat Pakistan by 4 wickets
Fri, 3 Oct: England beat South Africa by 10 wickets (Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati)
Mon, 6 Oct: South Africa beat New Zealand by 6 wickets (Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore)
Thu, 9 Oct: South Africa beat India by 3 wickets (ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam)
Mon, 13 Oct: South Africa beat Bangladesh by 3 wickets (ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam)
Fri, 17 Oct: South Africa beat Sri Lanka by 10 wickets (DLS) (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo)
Tue, 21 Oct: South Africa vs Pakistan (R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo)
Sat, 25 Oct: South Africa vs Australia (Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore)
Wed, 29 Oct: Semi-final 1 (Guwahati/Colombo)
Thu, 30 Oct: Semi-final 2 (Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai)
Sun, 2 Nov: FINAL
– (All Matches start at 11h30 unless specified otherwise)
Proteas Women Playing XI
Laura Wolvaardt (c)
Tazmin Brits
Suné Luus
Annerie Dercksen
Marizanne Kapp
Karabo Meso (wk)
Chloé Tryon
Nadine de Klerk
Nondumiso Shangase
Ayabonga Khaka
Nonkululeko Mlaba
Pakistan Playing XI
Omaima Sohail
Muneeba Ali
Sidra Amin
Aliya Riaz
Natalia Pervaiz
Fatima Sana (c)
Sidra Nawaz (wk)
Rameen Shamim
Diana Baig
Nashra Sandhu
Sadia Iqbal
Main Photo Caption: Player of the Match Marizanne Kapp was incisive with the ball and the bat to take South Africa to the top of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 standings after a comprehensive 150-run DLS victory over Pakistan in their penultimate league stage match in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, 21 October 2025.
Photo 2 Caption: Suné Luus was key in the top-order trio’s batting masterclass to guide South Africa to their highest-ever World Cup total, in a rain-shortened innings.
Photo 3 Caption: SA keeper Karabo Meso, seen in action for Natalia Pervaiz’s wicket, took three catches and concluded a run-out for the Proteas Women’s record performance.
