345/10 (49.5)
CR : 6.92
361/8 (50.0)
CR : 7.22
South Africa Women won by 16 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
A Dercksen
3/5990(68)
S Iqbal 8(8)
lbw Klerk
4s/6s
1/0
SR
100.00
Over 50
Pakistan Women 345/10
Sadia Iqbal8(8)
Diana Baig38(25)
Nadine de Klerk3-72(9.5)
SAW won by 16 runs
1:04 AM IST, 9:34 PM Local Time: Pakistan Women put up a spirited fight in pursuit of the massive target but were eventually bowled out for 345. South Africa Women held their nerve to secure a 16-run victory and seal the series with a game to spare.
Earlier, South Africa Women piled up a formidable 361/8 in their first innings. After being put in to bat, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits provided a fluent start, playing some elegant strokes before Wolvaardt fell to Sadia Iqbal for 20. Faye Tunnicliffe struggled during her brief stay, but Brits carried the momentum forward, finding solid support from Sune Luus.
Brits brought up a brisk fifty and launched an aggressive assault on the spinners before being stumped for 77. Luus and Annerie Dercksen then stitched together a valuable 102-run partnership, both reaching half-centuries. The real damage came in the final phase, as Dercksen (90 off 68), Chloe Tryon (37 off 23), and Nadine de Klerk (49 off 26) powered South Africa to a stunning finish. Fatima Sana, Sadia Iqbal, and Syeda Aroob Shah bagged a couple of wickets each for Pakistan Women, while Diana Baig and Nashra Sandhu chipped in with one wicket apiece.
In reply, after losing Muneeba Ali early, Sadaf Shamas (61) and Ayesha Zafar (75) rebuilt the innings with a vital 97-run partnership that brought Pakistan back into the contest. Fatima Sana then injected fresh momentum with a brisk 52, while Syeda Aroob Shah (40) and Diana Baig’s late 38* off 25 balls kept hopes alive deep into the chase.
However, Pakistan suffered a crucial middle-order collapse just when they looked well placed. The side slipped from 197/3 to 199/6 in quick succession, losing key batters in a dramatic phase that shifted the momentum back to South Africa. Despite the lower order’s fightback, regular wickets towards the end derailed the chase.
Annerie Dercksen led the bowling effort with three wickets. Nadine de Klerk, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and Nondumiso Shangase chipped in with two each, while Sune Luus contributed one wicket, helping South Africa clinch a hard-fought 16-run win.
Earlier, South Africa Women piled up a formidable 361/8 in their first innings. After being put in to bat, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits provided a fluent start, playing some elegant strokes before Wolvaardt fell to Sadia Iqbal for 20. Faye Tunnicliffe struggled during her brief stay, but Brits carried the momentum forward, finding solid support from Sune Luus.
Brits brought up a brisk fifty and launched an aggressive assault on the spinners before being stumped for 77. Luus and Annerie Dercksen then stitched together a valuable 102-run partnership, both reaching half-centuries. The real damage came in the final phase, as Dercksen (90 off 68), Chloe Tryon (37 off 23), and Nadine de Klerk (49 off 26) powered South Africa to a stunning finish. Fatima Sana, Sadia Iqbal, and Syeda Aroob Shah bagged a couple of wickets each for Pakistan Women, while Diana Baig and Nashra Sandhu chipped in with one wicket apiece.
In reply, after losing Muneeba Ali early, Sadaf Shamas (61) and Ayesha Zafar (75) rebuilt the innings with a vital 97-run partnership that brought Pakistan back into the contest. Fatima Sana then injected fresh momentum with a brisk 52, while Syeda Aroob Shah (40) and Diana Baig’s late 38* off 25 balls kept hopes alive deep into the chase.
However, Pakistan suffered a crucial middle-order collapse just when they looked well placed. The side slipped from 197/3 to 199/6 in quick succession, losing key batters in a dramatic phase that shifted the momentum back to South Africa. Despite the lower order’s fightback, regular wickets towards the end derailed the chase.
Annerie Dercksen led the bowling effort with three wickets. Nadine de Klerk, Nonkululeko Mlaba, and Nondumiso Shangase chipped in with two each, while Sune Luus contributed one wicket, helping South Africa clinch a hard-fought 16-run win.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: ANNERIE DERCKSEN
Annerie Dercksen (Player of the Match): (On her bowling plans in the second innings) “Yeah, I was obviously given the opportunity to take the new ball for the first time, which was really exciting. It probably wasn’t my best spell, but I’m happy to have contributed. Credit to the team as well for a great effort in defending the score.
(On Nondumiso Shangase’s impact with the ball) Nondi was amazing. I thought Mlaba bowled very well, too. Nondi really gave us that crucial break when Pakistan were going strongly. Those two wickets made a massive difference because they were looking set to chase the target down. I’m very grateful for that impact.
(On handling nervous moments during the game) I think when that big partnership was building, there were definitely some nerves. It was a really good batting wicket, and once batters got in, it was easy to hit through the line. That breakthrough from Nondi was absolutely crucial in shifting the momentum back in our favour.
(On the overall team effort) It was a brilliant team performance. Everyone played their role, and it feels great to have contributed to a win like this.”
(On Nondumiso Shangase’s impact with the ball) Nondi was amazing. I thought Mlaba bowled very well, too. Nondi really gave us that crucial break when Pakistan were going strongly. Those two wickets made a massive difference because they were looking set to chase the target down. I’m very grateful for that impact.
(On handling nervous moments during the game) I think when that big partnership was building, there were definitely some nerves. It was a really good batting wicket, and once batters got in, it was easy to hit through the line. That breakthrough from Nondi was absolutely crucial in shifting the momentum back in our favour.
(On the overall team effort) It was a brilliant team performance. Everyone played their role, and it feels great to have contributed to a win like this.”
Fatima Sana (Pakistan Women Captain): "I think the batters put in a strong effort and the batting unit performed really well in the match. However, we know that our bowling wasn’t up to the mark. The pitch was good for batting, so we approached it with a positive mindset during the chase. Personally, I felt that if I had been there till the end to finish the game, it would have made a difference.
That said, we need to regroup and have a serious discussion about our bowling and fielding. We were lacking in those departments, and it’s something we must improve. We’ll look to come back stronger and execute our plans much better in the next game."
That said, we need to regroup and have a serious discussion about our bowling and fielding. We were lacking in those departments, and it’s something we must improve. We’ll look to come back stronger and execute our plans much better in the next game."
Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Women Captain): (On her emotions after a thrilling match) “Crazy game of cricket. It was definitely a little bit close for comfort at the end. Pakistan batted really well on what turned out to be a belter of a wicket, and once they got going, it was hard to stop them. But we’re just glad we did enough to get over the line.
(On the batting unit’s collective effort) It was a proper team effort. We probably had the tougher batting conditions early on, but the pitch really flattened out later and became an absolute road. To get 360-odd was a fantastic effort. A lot of players contributed - Annerie was outstanding, Brits set the tone nicely, and Nadine provided great fireworks at the end. It was really pleasing to see the whole batting group step up.
(On the new-ball performance) Annerie was awesome today. She really steamed in with the new ball and hit the deck hard. It’s the first time she’s opened the bowling for us, and I think she showed just how exciting a talent she is. The conditions suited her, and she made the most of it, so we’re very happy for her.
(On areas needing improvement) I think it’s no secret we dropped a few catches again, which is something we keep talking about. We also conceded quite a few extras, which we’ll need to tighten up. Those extra deliveries can really hurt you in tight games, so those are key areas for us to improve.
(On the importance of the final ODI) It’s a huge game for us from a points perspective. There are no dead rubbers in this format, and although we’ve won the series, we’ll be pushing hard to bring our best cricket. A whitewash and a strong performance on Black Day would be very special for us.”
(On the batting unit’s collective effort) It was a proper team effort. We probably had the tougher batting conditions early on, but the pitch really flattened out later and became an absolute road. To get 360-odd was a fantastic effort. A lot of players contributed - Annerie was outstanding, Brits set the tone nicely, and Nadine provided great fireworks at the end. It was really pleasing to see the whole batting group step up.
(On the new-ball performance) Annerie was awesome today. She really steamed in with the new ball and hit the deck hard. It’s the first time she’s opened the bowling for us, and I think she showed just how exciting a talent she is. The conditions suited her, and she made the most of it, so we’re very happy for her.
(On areas needing improvement) I think it’s no secret we dropped a few catches again, which is something we keep talking about. We also conceded quite a few extras, which we’ll need to tighten up. Those extra deliveries can really hurt you in tight games, so those are key areas for us to improve.
(On the importance of the final ODI) It’s a huge game for us from a points perspective. There are no dead rubbers in this format, and although we’ve won the series, we’ll be pushing hard to bring our best cricket. A whitewash and a strong performance on Black Day would be very special for us.”
That's all from this high-scoring contest, folks! South Africa Women edged out Pakistan Women by 16 runs to clinch the series with a game to spare. We hope you enjoyed our coverage. For now, it's me, Deepak Prakash, signing off on behalf of my colleagues, Dev Rajawat, Manan Mehta, Zeeshan Naiyer, and Aman. Good Night!