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De Klerk’s Explosive Innings Seals ‘Famous’ Win for South Africa Over India with a Towering Six
ICC Women’s World Cup, Visakhapatnam
India 251 (49.5 overs): Ghosh 94 (77); Tryon 3-32
South Africa 252-7 (48.5 overs): De Klerk 84* (54), Wolvaardt 70 (111)
South Africa won by three wickets
Nadine de Klerk’s remarkable unbeaten 84 from 54 balls propelled South Africa to a stunning three-wicket victory over co-hosts India at the Women’s World Cup.
The Proteas, reeling at 81-5 in response to India’s 251 all out, appeared destined for their second defeat in three matches before De Klerk’s intervention.
The all-rounder dismantled India’s attack with a flurry of boundaries, including five sixes, en route to her highest international score. The fifth six sealed the win with seven balls to spare.
Captain Laura Wolvaardt initiated South Africa’s recovery with a composed 70 from 111 balls. Her 61-run partnership with Chloe Tryon laid the groundwork for De Klerk’s late assault.
Tryon contributed a brisk 49 from 66 balls, adding 69 with De Klerk before the latter completed the chase, leaving the India team and fans in disbelief.
Earlier, Richa Ghosh’s explosive 94 from 77 balls rescued India from 102-6, giving them a competitive total to defend.
However, De Klerk’s clean hitting overshadowed Ghosh’s efforts.
The result puts South Africa level on points with India, who missed the opportunity to top the table as Harmanpreet Kaur’s side suffered their first loss of the tournament.
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Just six days prior, South Africa’s captain Wolvaardt faced the media after her team’s 69 all out against England.
“We will put this behind us as quickly as we can,” she stated. Yet, the subsequent turn of events exceeded all expectations.
They secured a comfortable victory over New Zealand, one win, one loss after two games against their biggest competitors for a top-four place.
Australia and India were expected to be a level above, so facing the co-hosts had the potential to scupper South Africa’s momentum all over again.
Instead, they’re flying with belief that a semi-final spot might only prove another step in a glorious comeback story.
De Klerk’s innings of a lifetime, in which she cleared the ropes at will and left India’s star-studded side reeling, will quite rightly take the headlines.
It is a knock that will have her front and centre of opposition plans before they play South Africa in future.
“That was incredible,” Wolvaardt said. “I don’t think I’ve seen something like that in all of my career.
“That innings that Nadine played was very special. I’m lost for words.”
What made it so remarkable was not just the ball-striking but the composure and mental resilience.
That started with Wolvaardt and Tryon, who refused to give up on a match that seemed lost – with one dreadful batting collapse already in this tournament, it would have been easy to surrender to another.
Instead, they dug in and gave their side a chance. De Klerk and Tryon got them that much closer but even when the latter was dismissed, it could have turned into a familiar tale of a side valiant in defeat.
However, De Klerk held her nerve and saw it through. Forget chokers, this World Cup’s comeback queens are proving themselves to be as resilient as they come.
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Ghosh hits 94 off 77 balls to help India recover from batting collapse
Following Australia’s display of batting depth with match-winning centuries from Ash Gardner and Beth Mooney, Wednesday’s game in Visakhapatnam appeared to be India’s response.
Ghosh’s brilliant counter-attacking innings looked like it was going to turn something of a crisis situation at 102-6, after a collapse of 5-19, into a comfortable win.
Coming in at number eight, the 22-year-old accumulated steadily alongside Amanjot Kaur before exploding into life after that partnership was broken.
Ghosh was irresistible, hitting 58 from 33 balls after the fall of the seventh wicket, and showing herself to be a 360 player with boundaries all around the ground.
Any width was unceremoniously punished but anything too straight would travel, too – the margin for error for South Africa’s bowlers was razor thin.
Ghosh might not have quite have been able to match Gardner and Mooney, as she narrowly missed out on a maiden international century, but the innings seemed certain to prove every bit as important.
For around 40 overs of the chase it was. Then De Klerk happened.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt: “We knew we were ahead of them the whole time. They had a big finish but we thought if we can take it as deep as we can, maybe we can have something special.”
Player of the match, South Africa all-rounder Nadine de Klerk: “I am lost for words. It was good to finish the game off and try and dig deep. It has given us a lot of confidence going forward.
“I like being under pressure and I love World Cups as well.”
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “We played really well. We collapsed when batting but we managed to score 250.
“It’s a long tournament and it was a tough game for us. We have good games coming up and the important thing is that we keep going and improving.”
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