Nadine de Klerk’s Unbeaten Blitz Powers South Africa to Dramatic Three-Wicket Win Over India in Women’s World Cup Thriller
Visakhapatnam – Nadine de Klerk delivered a stunning lower-order masterclass with an unbeaten 84 off just 54 balls, guiding South Africa to a nail-biting three-wicket victory over hosts India in their ICC Women’s ODI World Cup clash on Thursday, 9 October 2025. Chasing a target of 252, the Proteas reached 252-7 with seven balls to spare at the Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, thanks to de Klerk’s explosive knock that featured eight fours and five sixes. This marked South Africa’s first-ever win over India on Indian soil in a World Cup match, keeping their semi-final dreams alive while handing India their first loss in the tournament.
De Klerk, who also claimed two wickets with her medium-pace bowling, was named Player of the Match for her all-round heroics. Her innings turned the game on its head after South Africa slumped to 81-5, showcasing a mix of raw power and clever wrist work that left the Indian bowlers reeling. The result has shaken up the points table, with South Africa climbing to fourth spot after their second win in three games, while India slipped to third with two wins and one loss from three matches.
Tense Chase and De Klerk’s Heroics
South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that paid off as they restricted India to 251 all out in 49.5 overs. In reply, the Proteas started shakily, losing early wickets to slip to 81-5 by the 20th over. Captain Laura Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a patient 70 off 111 balls, including eight fours, keeping her team in the hunt during a tough middle phase.
The momentum shifted when de Klerk joined Chloe Tryon at the crease. Tryon smashed a quick 49 off 66 balls, with five fours, as the pair added a crucial 69 runs for the seventh wicket. Tryon’s dismissal in the 46th over left South Africa needing 41 runs from 25 balls, but de Klerk stayed calm, blasting the winning six over the fence to seal the deal. Her strike rate of 155.55 highlighted her fearless approach, turning what seemed like a lost cause into a memorable triumph.
India’s bowlers fought hard, with Sneh Rana taking 2-47 and Keerthi Gaud claiming 2-59. However, they could not contain de Klerk’s onslaught, which included back-to-back sixes off Deepti Sharma and powerful drives against the seamers.
India’s Innings: Ghosh’s Counter-Attack Steals the Show
Batting first, India struggled against South Africa’s spin attack, collapsing to 102-6 after left-arm spinners Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon ran through the top order. Mlaba picked up 2-46, while Tryon starred with 3-32, exposing India’s ongoing weakness against left-arm spin – they have now lost 12 wickets to such bowlers in the tournament at an average of just 21.41.
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh turned the tide with a brilliant counter-attacking 94 off 77 balls, laced with 11 fours and four sixes. Her innings, the highest by an Indian No. 8 in ODIs, showcased crisp footwork and clean hitting that brought the home crowd to their feet. Partnering with Sneh Rana, who scored a brisk 33 off 24 balls with six fours, Ghosh added 88 runs for the eighth wicket – the highest such stand for India in World Cups.
Top-order batters like Pratika Rawal (37 off 56) and Smriti Mandhana (23 off 32) got starts but failed to convert, while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur fell for a duck. Marizanne Kapp supported with 2-45, and de Klerk grabbed the last two wickets to wrap up the innings. India’s recovery from 102-6 to 251 showed their fighting spirit, similar to their comebacks against Sri Lanka (from 124-6 to 269-8) and Pakistan (from 159-5 to 247) earlier in the tournament.
Player Reactions and Post-Match Thoughts
De Klerk was over the moon with her performance. “I am lost for words,” she said. “We have done a lot of good things in the last couple of days, but to finish off the game gives us a lot of confidence. I do like being under pressure and do love World Cups – we had to be at our best to beat India at home.”
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised both teams’ efforts. “Tough game, both teams played really well,” she said. “We collapsed while batting but still got to 250. We got the early wickets, but de Klerk batted really well. It is a long tournament. It was a tough game, but lots of learnings. We need to keep ourselves in the positive frame.”
South Africa skipper Wolvaardt highlighted the team’s resilience. “It was a great team effort. Nadine’s knock was special, and Chloe’s partnership was key. Beating India here is huge for our confidence.”
Impact on the Tournament Standings
This result has tightened the race for the semi-finals in the 10-team tournament. After the match, Australia lead the points table with three wins from three games and a net run rate of +1.850. New Zealand are second with two wins from two, followed by India with four points from three games (net run rate +0.950). South Africa now have four points from three matches (net run rate +0.450), jumping to fourth ahead of England, who have two wins from three.
With the top four teams advancing to the semis, South Africa’s win keeps them in the hunt, while India will look to bounce back in their next fixture against Bangladesh on 13 October. The Proteas face Sri Lanka on 12 October, aiming to build on this momentum.
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