South African hearts were broken in Mumbai, where India defeated the Proteas by 52 runs in the final of the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. Laura Wolvaardt fought with rare composure for a superb 101 in a chase of 299, yet South Africa were bowled out for 246. It was a loss that hurt, but it was also a milestone for a team that finally reached an ODI World Cup final.
Heartbreak in Mumbai, pride in the performance
Set 299 for victory, South Africa’s reply revolved around Wolvaardt’s clean timing and calm decision making. She shepherded the innings as the top order faltered, guiding the Proteas from early turbulence to a position of hope. When she fell for 101 off 98 balls, with 11 fours and one six, the resistance dimmed and the final began to slip away.
India’s experienced spin unit squeezed relentlessly, with Deepti Sharma producing a match defining 5 for 29 that strangled the chase in the closing overs. Harmanpreet Kaur’s juggling take at deep mid wicket to dismiss Wolvaardt captured the moment, a captain removing a captain, and with it South Africa’s last realistic path to 299.
How the final unfolded
A two hour rain delay preceded the start, but India settled quickly after being sent in to bat. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana combined for a 104 run opening stand that set the tone. Mandhana’s 45 off 58 ended when Chloe Tryon found an edge to Sinalo Jafta, yet India continued to flow.
Verma’s 87 off 78 balls gave India the platform, and the middle added crucial thrust. Sharma struck a run a ball 58, while Richa Ghosh’s 34 off 24 propelled the finish, lifting India to 298 for 7 in their 50 overs. For South Africa, Ayabonga Khaka led the attack with 3 for 58, a return that had its rewards even if it came at a cost on a surface that increasingly suited spin.
The chase and the Wolvaardt masterclass
At 148 for 5 in the 30th over, the Proteas were in deep trouble. Wolvaardt, however, refused to yield. She found a composed partner in Annerie Dercksen, and together they added 61 for the sixth wicket, wresting back momentum and quieting the home crowd for a precious passage of play.
Dercksen’s 35 ended to a Sharma delivery in the 40th over, and a few overs later Wolvaardt followed, caught by Kaur off the same bowler. The innings folded from there, South Africa all out for 246, a full 52 runs short. India’s spinners had the final say, and Sharma’s five wicket haul was the decisive difference on the day.
A record breaking tournament for Wolvaardt
Across nine matches, Wolvaardt was the tournament’s north star. She amassed a record 571 runs at an average of 71.27, surpassing Allysa Healy’s previous mark of 509 from 2022. She finished 137 runs clear of Smriti Mandhana, who managed 434, a gulf that underlined the South African captain’s dominance with the bat.
Her surge came at the business end. Three fifties in the pool phase steadied the South African campaign, then came two commanding centuries in the playoffs. A magical 169 against England in the semifinal, which earned her player of the match, was followed by 101 in the final against India, a one woman stand against the pressure of the occasion and the turn of the ball.
The road to the final
South Africa’s journey in India and Sri Lanka was anything but linear. The campaign began in disarray, bowled out for 69 in a 10 wicket defeat to England. That setback was mirrored later in the pool stage by a heavy loss to Australia, all out for 97 in a seven wicket defeat, a reminder that this team can be streaky.
Between those bruises, the Proteas stitched together a five match winning run that transformed their prospects. They beat New Zealand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, qualifying for the knockouts before that final pool meeting with Australia. Then came a statement semifinal, a stunning 125 run victory over England, which seemed to exorcise the ghost of the tournament opener.
What the captain said
Wolvaardt kept her perspective in the aftermath of the final. She praised India’s performance and focused on the campaign’s bigger picture, a blend of resilience and learning that had carried South Africa to uncharted territory in the one day format.
I couldn’t be prouder of this team for the campaign that we’ve had. We’ve played some brilliant cricket throughout. We were outplayed today, I think India played fantastically well, and it’s unfortunate to be on the losing side, but I think we’ll definitely grow from this as a group.
She also explained how she navigated the dual load of captaincy and batting. After a slow start, she simplified her approach, separating the roles in her mind and trusting her natural game. That shift, she suggested, freed her up during the run to the final and helped produce the surge of runs that defined the South African story.
Supporting cast who stood tall
While Wolvaardt dominated the headlines, there were vital contributions around her. Nonkululeko Mlaba led the wicket charts for South Africa with 13 at an average of 22.69, highlighted by figures of 4 for 40 against New Zealand and 3 for 30 against Sri Lanka. Her control in generally spin friendly conditions was a constant.
Marizanne Kapp showcased her enduring class with two half centuries and 12 wickets at 20.25, peaking in the semifinal where she struck 42 and claimed a career best 5 for 20. Nadine de Klerk emerged as a finisher with 208 runs at an average of 52 and a highest of 84 not out against India, while still taking nine wickets at 26.11. Tazmin Brits had an up and down tournament, amassing 235 runs at 29.37 with a century against New Zealand and an unbeaten 55 against Sri Lanka, a profile that mixed match winning highs with several lean returns.
Where the campaign wobbled
Inconsistency lingered as a theme. Some batters struggled to find rhythm or impact in key moments, and the final again exposed the thin margins when early wickets fall. Anneke Bosch managed 35 runs across six games, reaching double figures only once, while Sinalo Jafta’s best contribution with the bat was 29 in a losing cause against Australia. Those numbers trace a broader pattern, a lineup that could be brilliant one day and blunt the next, something Wolvaardt herself acknowledged.
The ball often brought balance, yet South Africa sometimes lacked the cutting edge to chisel through on flat surfaces. Khaka’s 3 for 58 in the final was a spirited return, and Tryon’s all round presence added depth, but in decisive passages South Africa were outgunned by India’s spin, and Sharma’s control tilted both tempo and scoreboard pressure.
Player of the tournament and the defining duel
Deepti Sharma’s influence ran through the event. She topped the bowling charts with 22 wickets at an average of 20.40 and added 215 runs at 30.71, a blend of consistency and impact that earned her player of the tournament. In the final she delivered the pivotal blows, first breaking stands, then removing Wolvaardt, and finally tidying up the tail.
That was the defining duel of the evening, Sharma’s subtle changes of pace and length against Wolvaardt’s crisp drives and late cuts. For a time the South African captain held sway, but eventually the Indian allrounder prised the door open and India stepped through.
What the coach sees next
Head coach Mandla Mashimbyi spoke as much about the future as the final whistle. He takes pride in a group that, in his words, made 60 million South Africans feel part of something new, the first ODI World Cup final for a national side in this format. His focus shifts quickly to the next frontier, the T20 World Cup in England and Wales next year, and a promise of a team that will leave no stone unturned.
I think it’s inspired a lot of people back home. We really played some good cricket, we showed character, and I’m really proud of these girls. You look at the team and see where you need to improve, and I know what to do going forward to make sure we leave no stone unturned going to England. We’ll bring the tsunami there.
Money matters and the bigger picture
There is a tangible marker of progress off the field as well. India, the champions, earned 4.48 million US dollars, while South Africa as runners up received 2.24 million US dollars. The total prize pool was 13.88 million US dollars, with a 273 percent increase in prize money for runners up compared to the last edition, a near threefold jump in total distribution.
Those numbers matter because visibility and resources drive performance and ambition. The Proteas squad of 15, supported by a full management team, carried the flag through India and Sri Lanka with a run that should strengthen the case for continued investment. The team were set to arrive home on Tuesday, and supporters were encouraged to welcome them at OR Tambo International Airport, a fitting reception for a side that moved the needle for the women’s game.
Three takeaways for South African cricket
- Own the identity, Wolvaardt’s record breaking 571 run campaign gives the batting a clear anchor,
- Back the spin and death skills, Mlaba’s control and De Klerk’s closing punch show the blueprint,
- Close the consistency gap, minimizing top order collapses and sharpening options against spin will turn a silver run into gold.
The legacy of this run
Every World Cup writes its own folklore. For South Africa, this campaign will be remembered for a captain who carried the bat and the burden, for a locker room that bounced back from early bruises, and for a semifinal where belief crystallized into a statement win. It will also be remembered for the clarity of what still needs to be built, a deeper bank of in form batters and a more ruthless handling of spin under pressure.
At the sharp end, India were superior on the day, and Deepti Sharma’s excellence was the difference. Yet the wider story belongs to a Proteas group that reached a first ever ODI World Cup final, that found new leaders in clutch moments, and that sent a message to young girls back home that there is a path, and it can lead all the way to the biggest stage. That is how heartbreak becomes foundation, and how silver becomes the starting point for a chase that is not yet over.
