Tazmin Brits delivered a stunning performance as South Africa defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the ICC Women’s World Cup match held at Holkar Stadium, Indore. The South African opener played a match-winning innings, smashing 101 runs off just 89 balls, including 15 boundaries and a six, guiding her team to successfully chase a 232-run target in only 40.5 overs. This remarkable knock marked her fourth century in her last five ODIs, reinforcing her status as one of the most consistent performers in women’s cricket.
New Zealand’s veteran Suzie Bates, playing her record-breaking 350th international match, had a disappointing outing as she was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Marizanne Kapp. Bates, 38, made history as the first woman cricketer to reach 350 international appearances — comprising 173 ODIs and 177 T20Is — a milestone that highlights her long and successful career.
Earlier, New Zealand had chosen to bat first after winning the toss but struggled to maintain momentum. Captain Sophie Devine fought hard with a valiant 85 off 98 deliveries, striking nine boundaries. She received solid support from Georgia Plimmer (31) and Brooke Halliday (45), helping the team recover from early setbacks. However, once Devine was dismissed by left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, the innings collapsed quickly, with the last seven wickets falling for just 44 runs. Mlaba was the star with the ball, finishing with an impressive 4 for 40, restricting New Zealand to 231 in 47.5 overs.
Chasing 232, South Africa lost an early wicket but quickly regained control as Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus built a commanding 159-run partnership for the second wicket. Luus remained unbeaten on 83 from 92 balls, striking 10 fours and one six, and also hit the winning runs that sealed South Africa’s emphatic victory.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt expressed delight over her team’s strong comeback after their disappointing defeat against England in Guwahati, where they were bowled out for just 69 runs. She praised her team’s resilience, saying the performance showed what they were truly capable of.
For New Zealand, this defeat marked their second consecutive loss in the tournament after their earlier setback against Australia. Skipper Sophie Devine admitted that the team now faces mounting pressure and must win the remaining games to stay in contention for the knockout stage.
