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- New Zealand vs South Africa Highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Tazmin Brits’ brilliant century guides SA to commanding win over NZ
New Zealand vs South Africa Highlights, Women's World Cup 2025: Tazmin Brits’ brilliant century guides SA to commanding win over NZ
The victory was built on the twin brilliance of Tazmin Brits and Nonkululeko Mlaba. Mlaba produced a game-changing spell of 4/40, dismantling the New Zealand middle order and restricting the White Ferns to 231. She removed captain Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday and also contributed to a run-out, triggering a collapse that denied New Zealand the chance to reach a formidable total. The early dismissal of veteran Suzie Bates for a golden duck in her 350th international match added to the visitors’ woes.
Chasing 231, South Africa got off to a strong start, but the wicket of Laura Wolvaardt, trapped LBW by Jess Kerr, could have disrupted the chase. However, Brits and Sune Luus steadied the innings, constructing a record 159-run third-wicket partnership, South Africa’s highest in Women’s World Cup history. Brits’ 101 off 89 balls featured 15 fours and a six, while Luus contributed an unbeaten 81 from 114 balls, including nine fours and a six. Brits reached her fifty in just 44 balls, the fastest of her ODI career, and celebrated her century with a bow-and-arrow gesture toward teammates.
South Africa’s dominant win not only highlighted their batting and bowling depth but also boosted them from the bottom of the table to fifth place, improving their Net Run Rate from -3.773 to -1.424. New Zealand, meanwhile, remain at the bottom after two losses, with their next match against Bangladesh in Guwahati on October 10.
With this victory, South Africa Women have signaled they are serious contenders, blending explosive batting with disciplined bowling. Their next challenge comes against tournament hosts India in Visakhapatnam on October 9, setting up an intriguing clash between two in-form sides.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Touch full on off, pushed to mid off.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Full and around off, Kerr leans on and crisply drives to cover.
POWERPLAY DONE! The South Africa Women team can now have four fielders outside the incircle.
This pair of New Zealand Women has been solid with their approach so far after losing a big wicket of Suzie Bates on the very first delivery of this crunch match for them.
Nadine De Klerk to Georgia Plimmer, Cuts back into the batter, full and on the leg stump. Plimmer pushes at it and gets an inside edge. The ball runs through short fine leg for a single.
- Georgia Plimmer 11 (27)
- Amelia Kerr 20 (32)
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, On a length, around middle, turned down to the left of deep fine leg for a single. New Zealand Women are 38/1 at the end of the Powerplay!
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, FIVE WIDES! Oh, some free runs for New Zealand Women! Full and sliding down the leg side, Plimmer misses her flick. The keeper gets across to her left but gets a bit blinded. Fails to gather it and the ball races away to the deep fine leg. A wide given.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, BEATEN! Short of a good length and outside off, with the keeper upto the stumps. Georgia gets across and goes deep in her crease to swipe across the line but misses. The keeper fails to gather it to her right behind the wickets.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Nagging length and outside off, GP uses her feet again as she wants to just drill it back to the bowler but Klaas gets her right boot in the way on her followthrough to make a half-stop as the ball rolls down towards mid on.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Touch shorter and around off, nips back in a bit, Plimmer again advances and clips it to mid-wicket.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Klaas drags her length back a bit and keeps it outside off, Georgia uses her feet and punches it down to the right of the bowler with an angled bat.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Pitched up, around off, angling in, Plimmer strides forward and presents a full face of the bat to play an on-drive to mid on.
- Amelia Kerr 20 (32)
- Georgia Plimmer 10 (21)
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Hard length and outside off, Kerr gets up on her toes and punches it down to cover.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Bowled it full and around off, pushed down to the left of mid on off the front foot.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Nagging length and around middle, punched down to the left of mid on, who gets across that side and cuts it off with a dive. The line has been good now after conceding a boundary by De Klerk.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Hard length, angling in, around middle, Amelia adjusts well on her back foot and gets on top of the bounce to block it.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! SHOT!!!! On a length that is moving away well outside off, Amelia Kerr shifts her weight on the front foot, extends her arms and crunches it to the left of cover point for a boundary.
Nadine De Klerk to Amelia Kerr, Starts off with a gentle-medium pace delivery, on a length and around off, Kerr prods forward and drops it down to cover.
39 dots off 48 balls so far, informs Natalie Germanos on air. Pretty watchfully, have been Kerr and Plimmer, against some disciplined bowling from the Proteas. Though they have struck some elegant boundaries as well. Nadine De Klerk is introduced into the attack now. She replaces Marizanne Kapp.
- Georgia Plimmer 10 (21)
- Amelia Kerr 16 (26)
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Pitched up and around off, angling in, Georgia comes forward and pushes it to the right of the bowler. The mid on gets across to her left and cuts it off, denying the batters any run.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Over-pitched, outside off, Plimmer takes out her front leg forward and goes across to drive it but finds the mid off fielder.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, On a length and around off, Georgia shifts her weight on the front foot and defends it.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Much fuller, almost a yorker, outside off, GP brings her bat down and squeezes it to first slip.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, FOUR! CRUNCHED! Again, same line and same length, full and wide outside off, Georgia Plimmer prods forward and eases her drive. But this time, she finds the gap to the left of extra cover for a boundary.
Masabata Klaas to Georgia Plimmer, Begins with a full delivery, outside off, Plimmer strides forward and drives it towards cover.
The first change in bowling for the Proteas. Masabata Klaas replaces Ayabonga Khaka. A slip in place.
- Amelia Kerr 16 (26)
- Georgia Plimmer 6 (15)
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, Full and outside off, Amelia Kerr takes a couple of steps forward and drives it towards mid off. Masabata Klaas gets across to her left, puts in a dive and gets her left hand on the ball. It gets slowed down and Klaas gets up and picks it up to restrict the batters to just two runs as she throws the ball to the keeper.
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, Back of a length and a bit outside off, Kerr gets behind the line and dabs it down to backward point.
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, Slightly fuller and around off, Kerr strides forward and keeps it out towards cover.
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, On a length, angling in, around off, Kerr prods forward and presents a full face of the bat to defend it towards cover.
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, Kapp drags her length a bit back and bowls it outside off, Kerr is already standing well outside of her crease and pats it down to cover point.
Marizanne Kapp to Amelia Kerr, Bowled it full and around middle, Amelia Kerr advances to negate the swing and flicks it to mid on.
- Georgia Plimmer 6 (15)
- Amelia Kerr 14 (20)
Ayabonga Khaka to Georgia Plimmer, Nagging length and outside off, GP leaves it. New Zealand Women are 22/1 after six overs.
Ayabonga Khaka to Georgia Plimmer, Full and around middle, Georgia Plimmer leans onto the delivery and flicks it in the big gap towards deep backward square leg. The fielder from deep square leg, Chloe Tryon, runs across to her right and dives in to cut it off and flicks the ball towards Masabata Klaas, the fielder converging from deep fine leg. Klaas collects it and throws it to the keeper. Good teamwork there in the deep, but the batters rush back for the second.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, Pitched up and around middle, flicked down finely to the left of deep fine leg for a single by Kerr.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, WIDE! Khaka ends up serving it on the leg side and it further slants down leg. Kerr misses her flick. Another wide in the over.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, On a good length and over off, Kerr defends it off the back foot into the leg side.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, Jags back in, on a length and around off, from wide of the crease, Kerr gets cramped as she tries to get away from it. Ends up getting an inside edge onto her front pad. The ball rolls away beside the strip on the leg side.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, WIDE! Darts in, a bit fuller but down the leg side. Kerr uses her feet and tries to tickle it fine but misses. A wide given.
Interesting first 5 overs. The slips have been withdrawn within these early exchanges, suggesting there hasn’t been much lateral movement. It was only microscopic in the opening couple of overs, but even that has waned now. But there have already been two maidens.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, Hard length, nips back in off the deck, around off, Amelia Kerr adjusts well on her back foot and blocks it to the right of the bowler.
- Georgia Plimmer 4 (13)
- Amelia Kerr 13 (16)
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, Indeed, she will! On a good length and outside off, Plimmer lets it be. Another maiden for South Africa Women in this innings.
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, Short of a length and around off, Georgia gets behind the line and dabs it down back to the bowler. Five dot balls so far. Can Kapp close out and bowl a MAIDEN?
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, Dragged back length and outside off, GP leaves it.
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, Nice and full, around off, driven to the left of cover off the front foot.
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, BEATEN! On a length that swings away from the batter after pitching outside off, Georgia Plimmer strides forward and tries to throw her hands at it to drive, but misses. Gets beaten on the outside edge.
Marizanne Kapp to Georgia Plimmer, Full and straight, just outside off, Plimmer extends her arms and defends it down into the deck.
- Amelia Kerr 13 (16)
- Georgia Plimmer 4 (7)
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, Moving back in, on a length and around off, Kerr strides forward and keeps it out towards cover.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, Nagging length and around off, tapped down towards cover point off the front foot.
Ayabonga Khaka to Amelia Kerr, FOUR! Excellent hit! Khaka pitches it up but offers width, outside off, Amelia Kerr leans on to the delivery, gets forward and drives it through the gap between mid off and extra cover. Beats the diving mid off fielder to her left for another boundary.
Mlaba was the standout with the ball, claiming 4/40 and triggering a crucial middle-order collapse, including wickets of captain Sophie Devine and Brooke Halliday, as well as contributing to a run-out. Her spell ensured New Zealand couldn’t push past 231 after a promising start at 195/4.
In response, Brits dominated the chase with 101 off 89 balls, her seventh ODI century and first in a World Cup, while Sune Luus remained unbeaten on 81, forging a record 159-run third-wicket partnership—South Africa’s highest in Women’s World Cup history. Brits’ fifty came off just 44 balls, showcasing her aggressive intent, while Luus rotated strike and played crucial shots to keep the chase on track.
This win lifted South Africa from the bottom to fifth in the standings, improving their Net Run Rate significantly. New Zealand, now last, will face Bangladesh next, while South Africa take on India in Visakhapatnam on October 9.
Match Statistics
Venue
Holkar Stadium, Indore
