De Klerk’s Incredible Finish Powers South Africa to Victory
Nadine de Klerk played an incredible match-winning innings of 84 not out off 54 balls to power South Africa to a thrilling three-wicket victory over India in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 at Visakhapatnam. Her knock included five sixes and eight fours and featured a blistering late-innings assault, especially in the 47th and 49th overs, where she took apart India’s bowlers to seal the chase with seven balls to spare. Alongside contributions from captain Laura Wolvaardt (70) and Chloe Tryon (49), de Klerk’s unbeaten blitz snatched the game from the hosts after South Africa had been struggling at 81/5 midway through the innings. The innings demonstrated her calm under pressure and ability to rise in a high-stakes match, earning her Player of the Match honors and moving South Africa into the top four in the tournament standings. India’s Richa Ghosh fought bravely with 94 but couldn’t prevent their first defeat in the tournament.
A High-Stakes Clash in Visakhapatnam
On October 9, 2025, Visakhapatnam played host to a sensational encounter between two powerhouse teams in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025. India, enjoying home advantage and a dream run, faced South Africa in what proved to be an unforgettable contest—filled with improbable fightbacks, record-shattering individual displays, tense collapses, and an extraordinary chase led by Nadine de Klerk. In the end, South Africa emerged triumphant, sealing a three-wicket win with just seven balls to spare and handing India their first defeat of the tournament.
First Innings: India’s Collapse and Remarkable Recovery
Top-Order Woes and Collapse
India’s innings began inauspiciously after rain delayed the start. Electing to bat first, the hosts stumbled quickly. South Africa’s new-ball bowlers made early inroads, and by the 27th over, India were reeling at 102/6. Star openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal provided a flicker of hope, but wickets tumbled in clusters. Mandhana, who had just broken the all-time record for most runs in a calendar year by a woman batter with a soaring six, fell for 23. The middle order, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Deepti Sharma, failed to get going against relentless pressure.
Richa Ghosh’s Historic Rescue Act
With the Indian team in deep trouble, Richa Ghosh entered at number eight and played what many are already calling one of the greatest World Cup rescue acts. Ghosh built stands of 51 with Amanjot Kaur and a blistering 88 with Sneh Rana. Unleashing fluent strokes, she counterattacked amid crisis, notching up 94 runs from just 77 balls with 11 boundaries and 4 sixes. Her fearless 94 set the record for the highest Women’s World Cup score by a batter at number eight or lower—an innings as audacious as it was timely.
Lower-Order Resistance and Final Flourish
Sneh Rana’s 33 off 24 balls further pushed India past the 250 mark. The partnership devastated South Africa’s bowlers in the death overs, as India surged from nowhere to post a highly competitive total of 251 in 49.5 overs.
India First Innings Summary
251 All Out (49.5 Overs)
Top scorer: Richa Ghosh 94 (77)
Other highlights: Sneh Rana 33 (24), Chloe Tryon 3/32 (South Africa), Marizanne Kapp 2/45.
Second Innings: South Africa’s Chase—A Tale of Grit and Guts
Early Setbacks and Mid-Innings Collapse
South Africa’s pursuit of 252 got off to a jittery start. By the 7th over, Kranti Gaud and Amanjot Kaur had reduced them to 18/2, dismissing Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus cheaply. The crisis deepened as India’s spinners further dented the chase, thanks to Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma. At 81/5 in the 20th over, South Africa appeared out of contention, with top-scorer Anneke Bosch and wicket-keeper Sinalo Jafta both back in the pavilion.
Wolvaardt and Tryon’s Patient Rebuild
Captain Laura Wolvaardt (70) held her nerve, anchoring the innings with sensible rotation and selective aggression. She found solid support in Chloe Tryon (49), and together they put on a 61-run stand that lifted the pressure, if only briefly. When Wolvaardt fell just after reaching her half-century, it once again looked as though the chase might unravel.
The Nadine de Klerk Masterclass
As the death overs approached, South Africa still required almost eight runs an over with just a fragile lower order to come. Enter Nadine de Klerk—who played arguably the innings of her life. Unfazed by mounting odds, de Klerk batted with surgical aggression, bringing South Africa back from the brink with a stunning array of shots. Her 84* off 54 balls included powerful blows—she targeted the inexperienced Kranti Gaud in a pivotal 47th over, plundering 18 runs and all but sealing the match in South Africa’s favour.
Nail-Biting Finish and South Africa’s Hat-Trick Over India
With the equation boiling down to 12 required off 12, de Klerk finished the match in style: a six over long-on, then, with just seven balls left, another maximum to clinch a famous victory. South Africa had completed a World Cup hat-trick over India (2017, 2022, 2025), and de Klerk’s match-winning heroics ensured that this chase would be remembered for years
Full Match Result:
India: 251 (49.5 overs)
South Africa: 252/7 (48.5 overs)
South Africa won by 3 wickets
Turning Points and Match Analysis
Mandhana’s Record, Then Collapse: Smriti Mandhana breaking the all-time calendar-year record with a six briefly buoyed Indian fans, but her dismissal quickly triggered a collapse in the top and middle order.
Ghosh and Rana Rescue: With their backs to the wall, the lower order’s attacking partnerships not only rescued the hosts but also set up a target many thought was above par.
South Africa’s Nerves: Regular wickets and incisive bowling meant that South Africa’s established batters had to fight for every run—highlighting the mental and tactical battle.
De Klerk’s Onslaught: The entire narrative, though, changed in the last five overs. De Klerk’s fearless batting shifted the pressure back onto India, whose young bowlers wilted under her onslaught.
Records and Statistics
Ghosh’s Feat: Richa Ghosh became the highest scorer at number eight or lower in the history of Women’s World Cups, underlining her reputation as a big-match player.
Mandhana’s Milestone: Smriti Mandhana surpassed Belinda Clark’s 1997 record for most ODI runs in a calendar year for women.
South Africa’s Streak: South Africa now have three consecutive World Cup wins over India, starting with the famous chase in 2017 and extending through 2022 and 2025.