History was made in Guwahati on October 29, 2025, as South Africa’s women’s cricket team stormed into their first ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final, delivering a commanding performance to end England’s campaign in the semifinals. It was a day of redemption, drama, and dazzling cricket at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, as Laura Wolvaardt’s side, haunted by past heartbreaks against England, finally turned the tables in spectacular fashion.
England, led by Nat Sciver-Brunt, entered the semifinal with confidence, having finished second in the league stage and boasting a dominant 10-wicket win over South Africa at the very same venue earlier in the tournament. The four-time champions had history on their side, too, having bested South Africa in the semifinals of both the 2017 and 2022 editions. But cricket, as ever, loves a twist.
Sciver-Brunt won the toss and, perhaps hoping to exploit the evening dew and the venue’s spinner-friendly stats, opted to bowl first. England’s lineup was unchanged, with left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone passed fit after a shoulder scare. South Africa made a single tweak, bringing in batting all-rounder Anneke Bosch for medium pacer Masabata Klaas, aiming to bolster their batting on a surface where the average first-innings score hovered around 186 and spinners had claimed 41 of 63 wickets in the tournament.
But what followed was a masterclass from South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt and the irrepressible Marizanne Kapp. Wolvaardt, unfazed by the ghosts of past semifinals, produced an innings for the ages, smashing a breathtaking 169 runs. Her timing, composure, and late-innings acceleration left the English attack reeling, especially in the final 10 overs, where she took full advantage of a flat pitch and the tiring bowlers. "Laura Wolvaardt had the best of the conditions, she knew what she was doing and she took advantage," England’s coach Charlotte Edwards later told Sky Sports.
Marizanne Kapp wasn’t just a supporting act. She contributed a vital 42 with the bat and then returned with the ball to decimate England’s chase, claiming a sensational five-wicket haul for just 20 runs. Her relentless accuracy and competitive spirit left England’s batters searching for answers. "Kappy was phenomenal. As long as Nat was there it looked like it could go either way, so we were really happy to get her out," Wolvaardt reflected after the match. Kapp’s performance also saw her overtake the legendary Jhulan Goswami as the leading wicket-taker in Women’s World Cups—a feat celebrated by teammates and fans alike.
South Africa’s innings, anchored by Wolvaardt and powered by Kapp’s late surge, set a daunting total that left England with a mountain to climb. The English chase started in disastrous fashion, losing three wickets in quick succession to Kapp’s fiery opening spell. Despite a fighting partnership between Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey—who notched a mature fifty—England’s middle order struggled to keep up with the escalating required rate.
Sciver-Brunt, who reached her own half-century with trademark determination, was eventually undone by Kapp, edging behind to the jubilant Sinalo Jafta. Capsey, having just brought up her maiden ODI fifty, fell soon after, driving Sune Luus straight to Nadine de Klerk at mid-off. With each wicket, South Africa’s confidence grew, and the sense of history in the making was palpable.
England’s lower order, led by Danielle Wyatt-Hodge and Linsey Smith, attempted to resist the inevitable, but the writing was on the wall. Nonkululeko Mlaba chipped in with key wickets, including the dismissal of Ecclestone, and de Klerk wrapped up proceedings by removing Smith to spark jubilant celebrations. England were bowled out for 194, well short of their target, and South Africa had secured a famous, emphatic victory.
The scenes at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium were electric. South Africa’s players embraced, some in disbelief, others with tears of joy. "It’s a very special day and I’m so glad we won. We knew the start of our innings would be crucial. The goal was to hold things together, get to the 40th over, and then let the lower order whack it at the end. It has to be at the top of my list of best innings, because of the context of the game and winning the game against a very strong bowling attack," Wolvaardt said, clutching her Player of the Match award.
For England, it was a day of disappointment and reflection. Coach Charlotte Edwards was candid about her team’s shortcomings: "I’m incredibly proud of what the team have achieved in the past few weeks, so to not play our best cricket today is disappointing and something we’ll have to reflect on. Two players performed really, really well on the big stage. When somebody gets 160-odd and somebody gets five-for, you’re not gonna be on the winning side too many times." Edwards also hinted at changes for the future, noting, "We’ve targeted 13-15 players who we’re going to work really hard with. We won’t make any rash decisions but we’ve got to look to the future. We’ve got some unbelievable talent coming through."
This result marks a seismic shift in the women’s game. South Africa, so often the nearly team in global tournaments—having lost three previous semifinals in the women’s event and five in the men’s—finally broke their hoodoo. Their rise has been steady, with recent T20 World Cup finals and a men’s Test Championship victory signaling a new era of South African cricket.
England, meanwhile, will look ahead to a new ODI cycle and the upcoming home T20 World Cup, with several veterans possibly pondering their futures. As for South Africa, the celebrations will be brief—they now prepare for their maiden World Cup final, awaiting the winner of the Australia vs India semifinal set for October 30 in Navi Mumbai.
With history rewritten and a nation inspired, South Africa’s women have shown what’s possible when talent, resilience, and belief come together on cricket’s biggest stage. The world will be watching as they chase their first World Cup title.
