Delhi: Today South Africa women’s team created history at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. In the first semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, South Africa defeated England by 125 runs and made it to the World Cup final for the first time. This is the first time that South Africa (men or women) has qualified for the final of an ODI World Cup. Captain Laura Woolwardt’s historic inning of 169 runs and Marizanne Cap’s 5 wickets led the team to a big victory.

With this victory, South Africa finally ended the streak of semi-final defeats in 2017 and 2022.

South Africa gave a huge target

England won the toss and chose to bowl first but this decision proved costly for them. South African captain Laura Woolwardt played the best innings of her career, scoring 169 runs in 143 balls which included 20 fours and 4 sixes. Along with him, Tazmin Brits played a solid inning of 45 runs, which gave a strong start to the team.

In the middle order, Marizanne Kapp scored a quick 42 runs, while Chloe Tryon played a stormy innings of 33 runs in the end, taking the score to 319/7. For England, Sophie Ecclestone took 4 wickets for 44 runs in 10 overs, but the rest of the bowlers proved costly.

Cap wreaked havoc on England

Chasing the huge target of 320 runs, England’s innings had a disastrous start. Marizanne Cap took 5 wickets for just 20 runs and bowled double wicket maiden overs twice. England’s top order completely disintegrated in front of his sharp bowling.

Tammi Beaumont, Heather Knight and Amy Jones returned to the pavilion without doing anything. Nate Sciver-Brunt showed some fight by scoring 64 runs and Alice Capsey scored 50 runs, but the rest of the batsmen could not survive. The England team collapsed for 194 runs in 42.3 overs.

In South Africa’s bowling, apart from Cap, Nadine de Klerk took 2 wickets while Khaka, Malaba and Luus took 1 wicket each.

South Africa created history

As soon as the last wicket fell, the South African players danced. Marizanne Kapp had tears in her eyes and Captain Woolwardt was beaming with pride. The revenge for the semi-final defeats of 2017 and 2022 was finally completed. South Africa is now just one step away from creating history. Now the team will face India or Australia in the final. If South Africa wins the final, it will be the first ODI World Cup trophy for either the men’s or women’s team.