England’s Women’s World Cup journey came to a crushing end as they were thrashed by South Africa in the semi-final, suffering a 125-run defeat in Guwahati. It was a night of brilliance from South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt, who produced one of the finest innings in tournament history — a commanding 169 off 143 balls — to power her team into their first-ever World Cup final.
Having lost to England in their previous two semi-final encounters, South Africa were determined to rewrite history, and they did so in emphatic fashion. Batting first, they posted a mammoth 319-7 — the highest total ever made by a South African women’s side in a World Cup knockout match.
England, chasing a record target in a do-or-die encounter, endured a nightmare start. Within just seven balls, their hopes were in tatters as Amy Jones, Tammy Beaumont, and captain Heather Knight all fell for ducks, leaving the scoreboard reading a dismal 1-3.
Marizanne Kapp set the tone with an inspired new-ball spell, bowling both Jones and Knight, while Ayabonga Khaka removed Beaumont with a sharp outswinger. England’s top order simply had no answers.
Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey briefly gave England hope, stitching together a composed 105-run partnership. Capsey looked fluent en route to her maiden ODI fifty, while Sciver-Brunt played with her trademark calmness and timing. But once Capsey departed for 51 and Kapp returned to dismiss Sciver-Brunt for 64, South Africa’s victory was inevitable.
Kapp, the heartbeat of the Proteas, finished with extraordinary figures of 5-20 — the best ever in a Women’s World Cup semi-final — as England were bundled out for 194 in just 37 overs.
While England’s batting collapsed under pressure, they could take little blame for their bowling efforts. Wolvaardt’s innings was simply unstoppable. It was a chanceless display of class and authority. After reaching her century in the 40th over, she shifted gears in breathtaking fashion — smashing 68 runs from her next 27 balls, including eight boundaries and four towering sixes.
At 202-5 after 40 overs, South Africa’s innings seemed headed for a par total, but Wolvaardt’s late onslaught, supported by a quickfire 33 not out from Chloe Tryon, transformed it into a match-winning score.
England’s Sophie Ecclestone, carrying a shoulder injury, was the standout with the ball, claiming 4-44 and temporarily halting South Africa’s progress when they stumbled from 116-0 to 119-3. Lauren Bell chipped in with two wickets, but the rest of England’s attack struggled to contain the Proteas’ power-hitting. Sciver-Brunt conceded 67 from her eight overs, while spinners Linsey Smith and Charlie Dean went for 69 and 67 respectively without any success.
For South Africa, this victory was about more than just reaching the final — it was redemption. Earlier in the tournament, they were humiliated by England when they were bowled out for only 69 runs in the group stage. Yet, they showed immense resilience, bouncing back with key wins over India and others to book their place in the semis — and now, the final.
From the moment the first ball of the match raced to the cover boundary off Wolvaardt’s bat, it was clear she was in supreme touch. Her composure, shot selection, and determination set the tone for her team. Even when wickets fell around her, including Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, and Sune Luus, she rebuilt, refocused, and eventually exploded in the final stretch.
Kapp’s aggressive 42 from just 33 balls provided crucial momentum before she was dismissed, and Tryon ensured South Africa ended strong, maintaining pressure on England throughout.
In the second innings, Kapp turned destroyer with the ball. Her early strikes left England shell-shocked, and when she returned later to remove Sciver-Brunt, Sophia Dunkley, and Charlie Dean in quick succession, it sealed the deal. Her passionate celebrations and tears during the national anthem earlier in the day reflected just how much this win meant to her and to the team.
This historic triumph also saw Kapp surpass India’s Jhulan Goswami to become the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history.
For England, it was a bitter end to what had been a promising campaign. Their batting unit, which had shown signs of maturity in the group stages, collapsed when it mattered most. Sciver-Brunt’s all-round brilliance once again stood out, but she alone could not save them.
Speaking after the match, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt was emotional yet proud:
“Everyone is really excited. We’ve been on the losing side of semi-finals before, so this win means a lot. I wasn’t sure we had enough runs, but our bowling was superb. Kapp was amazing and set the tone early. We’ll celebrate tonight, but tomorrow it’s back to work for the final.”
England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt, though disappointed, struck a hopeful tone:
“This hurts, no doubt. But we’ve grown so much as a team since the summer. We’ll take the lessons from this and come back stronger. You have to be at your very best to beat sides like South Africa.”
South Africa will now face either India or Australia in the grand finale on Sunday — their first-ever appearance in a World Cup final in either men’s or women’s cricket. From heartbreak to history, the Proteas’ journey has been nothing short of inspirational.
