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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.
Masabata Klaas to Brooke Halliday, Flat and full, on off, Brooke Halliday drives it to mid off.
- Brooke Halliday 34 (21)
- Sophie Devine 50 (66)
Sune Luus to Brooke Halliday, On the shorter side, outside off, Brooke Halliday comfortably cuts it away to deep point for one more and retains the strike.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, FIFTY FOR SOPHIE DEVINE! 17th ODI half-century for the Kiwi skipper, off 66 balls! 112 in the previous game against Australia, and she is well on course for another triple-figure milestone. Tossed fuller on middle, Sophie Devine gets forward and drives it along the ground to long on for a single.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Pushes it quicker and shorter on the leg stump. Sophie Devine rocks back and clips it uppishly over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.
Sune Luus to Brooke Halliday, Shortens the length on this occasion, around off, Halliday punches wide of cover for one more.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Full and sliding onto the pads, Sophie Devine gets down and sweeps it fine, but Ayabonga Khaka from short fine leg, dives to her right and cuts it off. Just a single and 150 is up for New Zealand Women!
Sune Luus to Brooke Halliday, Around the stumps, short and drifting in from outside off. Brooke hangs back and cuts it to deep point for an easy single.
DRINKS BREAK! Arrival of Brooke Halliday has injected the much-needed momentum into the New Zealand Women's side. She is playing well over a strike rate of 170 for now and stitching the most crucial partnership with her skipper, Sophie Devine, who has been rock solid at the other end, showing her rich batting form. They both have laid a base and would want to cash in to post a big total in excess of 270 from this stage. While South Africa are looking for a wicket, as it should be. Their bowlers, especially spinners, were tight in giving away much, and the Proteas would want to cling to a few wickets at this juncture to break down the back of the White Ferns. The exciting phase is here, so hop on with us!
- Sophie Devine 46 (63)
- Brooke Halliday 31 (18)
Masabata Klaas to Sophie Devine, Back of a length, around off, Devine gets on the back foot and punches it solidly to extra cover. 10 off this over, and 17 from the last 2 overs for New Zealand Women!
Masabata Klaas to Brooke Halliday, Similar line, but the length is dragged back. Brooke gets behind the line and helps it fine towards deep fine leg. But this time, Laura Wolvaardt is patrolling that region and doesn't allow more than a single by moving to her left and cutting it off.
Masabata Klaas to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! A sheer display of delicacy from Brooke! Klaas errs in line and length, as this is full and onto the pads. Brooke Halliday lets it arrive and uses her wrists to tickle it behind the deep fine leg fence for a boundary. And suddenly, the partnership has jumped to 46 runs off just 36 deliveries between these two!
Masabata Klaas to Sophie Devine, Back of a length, outside off, Devine punches wide of cover for a quick single.
Masabata Klaas to Sophie Devine, FOUR! Finds the gap perfectly! This is short and stays low, on the middle and leg stump line. Sophie Devine plays from the crease, whips it to deep backward square leg using her wrists and finds the fence. Devine moves to 45 off 61!
Masabata Klaas to Sophie Devine, Angling on the leg stump, on a length. Devine hangs deep and tucks it across to mid-wicket.
- Sophie Devine 41 (59)
- Brooke Halliday 26 (16)
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Flighted delivery, full and on middle. Sophie Devine is early into the shot, trying to push it straight, but the ball goes off the inside edge and rolls to deep square leg for a single.
Sune Luus to Brooke Halliday, Short in length, outside off. Brooke Halliday rocks back and cuts it to deep point for an easy solo.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Full and on the leg stump, whipped along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Nicely tossed up, on the stumps, Devine eases this full ball back to the bowler.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Floated full and on middle and leg, Devine flicks it between long on and deep mid-wicket for a couple.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Tossed up fuller, on middle. Devine sweeps it between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg and rushes back for the second.
After 30 overs, New Zealand Women are 131/3. The graph is ascending for them. 38/1 in the first ten overs, followed by 45/1 in the next set of ten. But this phase of 21-30 overs has been the most productive for the White Ferns. They have scored 48 runs and lost just 1 wicket in this phase.
- Brooke Halliday 25 (15)
- Sophie Devine 35 (54)
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Flighted, full and around middle and leg, Brooke gets down and sweeps it to short fine. New Zealand Women are 131/3.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! Brooke Halliday is looking in good nick! Full and outside off, Brooke switches her stance and grip to reverse-sweep it to the right of backward point for a boundary.
Chloe Tryon to Sophie Devine, Full and spraying it on the pads, knocked down to long on for a single.
Chloe Tryon to Sophie Devine, Angling in, full and around off, Devine backs away and drives it to cover.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Short and outside off, tapped down to the right of backward point for a single.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! EASY PICKINGS! Chloe fires in, full and down leg, Brooke Halliday sits down nicely and sweeps it to the right of short fine. The deep square leg fielder runs across to her left and even puts in a dive but fails to stop the ball from going over the ropes.
- Brooke Halliday 16 (11)
- Sophie Devine 34 (52)
Sune Luus to Brooke Halliday, Short and around off, eased down through covers for a single by Brooke.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, A bit shorter and around middle, Devine gets down and sweeps it to deep backward square leg for a single.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Flatter, full and around middle, Devine flicks it straight to silly mid on.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Tossed up, full and around middle, Devine uses her feet but adjusts her shot and nudges it to short mid-wicket.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Slower through the air, full and around middle, clipped it to mid-wicket off the front foot.
Sune Luus to Sophie Devine, Short and outside off, Devine presses back and cuts it, but finds the cover-point fielder.
Brooke Halliday has looked full of intent upon her arrival at the crease. What this will do is release a bit of pressure off Devine's shoulders. Sune Luus has now been introduced into the attack. She replaces Nonkululeko Mlaba.
- Sophie Devine 33 (47)
- Brooke Halliday 15 (10)
Chloe Tryon to Sophie Devine, Again, on the shorter side and outside off, Devine rocks back and cuts it towards backward point. The fielder gets across quickly to her left and makes a good stop by sliding there. A single taken.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Short and outside off, Brooke presses back and punches it down to cover.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! EFFECTIVE! Full and around middle and leg, Brooke Halliday gets across and goes down on one knee to reverse-sweep it. Finds the gap perfectly towards deep point for a boundary.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Nagging length and outside off, dabbed down to extra cover off the back foot.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Quicker, full and outside off, Brooke prods forward and pushes it back to the bowler.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! NICE SHOT! Full and around middle, Brooke Halliday gets down, picks it up and sweeps it over the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
- Sophie Devine 32 (46)
- Brooke Halliday 6 (5)
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Sophie Devine, Full and around middle, driven to mid off from the front foot.
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Brooke Halliday, Slower through the air, full and around off, Brooke advances and eases her on-drive a bit uppishly but beats the diving mid-wicket fielder to her right for a single.
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Sophie Devine, Full and around middle, Sophie Devine uses her feet and knocks it down to long on for a single.
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Brooke Halliday, Dragged back length and around off, Brooke lunges and chips it aerially but in the vacant mid on region. A single taken.
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Brooke Halliday, Short and outside off, dabbed down towards cover point off the front foot.
Nonkululeko Mlaba to Sophie Devine, Lands it full and down leg, Sophie Devine gets down and sweeps it towards short fine, who puts in a dive to her left but fumbles and concedes a single.
- Brooke Halliday 4 (2)
- Sophie Devine 30 (43)
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, Full and outside off, Brooke prods forward and chips it off the toe end of the bat to mid on.
Chloe Tryon to Brooke Halliday, FOUR! PUNISHED! A freebie first ball, full toss and outside off, Brooke Halliday comes forward and throws her hands to reach out. Drills it to beat the diving cover fielder to her right for a boundary.
Brooke Halliday is the new batter in at number 5.
Chloe Tryon to Georgia Plimmer, OUT! TAKEN! GONE! The misery of Georgia Plimmer comes to an end as the 57-run partnership is broken. Chloe gives flight to the ball and pitches it full and around middle, trying not to provide any room for the batter. Plimmer dances down the track and looks to take on the bowler as the pressure is growing on her for playing too many dot balls. She looks for a big lofted shot downtown but gets cramped. The bat gets tilted in her hands, and she mistimes her shot towards long on off the toe end of the bat. Though Nadine De Klerk misjudges a bit, she goes back and plucks it above her head. South Africa Women are pumped up as Georgia Plimmer departs for 31 (68) and New Zealand Women are 101/3.
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
