South Africa Women put up a clinical effort to defeat Sri Lanka Women by 10 wickets in a rain-soaked match at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium. With their strong victory, the Proteas not only ascended to second place in the points table, but also improved their chances of reaching the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
Both teams entered the match with contrasting fortunes, with South Africa full on confidence following back-to-back victories and Sri Lanka.
Still hunting for their first victory after having two previous games washed out. The weather in Colombo had been unpredictable all day, and gloomy clouds had once again caused havoc. Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first, seeking to score runs. However, after only 12 overs, severe rain stopped play for over five hours. When the skies cleared, the game was trimmed to a 20-over-a-side format.
Sri Lanka were held to 105 for 7 in their allocated 20 overs. Vishmi Gunaratne top-scored with 34 off 33 balls, with Nilakshika Silva (18) and Kavisha Dilhari (14) providing support. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu struggled to contribute, completing only 11 of 25 deliveries. Masabata Klaas bowled brilliantly, taking two wickets for 18 runs, while Nonkululeko Mlaba went three for thirty. Nadine de Klerk also contributed with an important wicket as the Proteas kept the Lankans on the back foot.
Due to the weather delay and the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) adjustment, South Africa was given a revised target of 121 in 20 overs. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits took advantage of the damp conditions, scoring runs with ease. Wolvaardt, the skipper, continued her outstanding form by scoring an undefeated 60 off 47 deliveries, including eight boundaries. On the other end, Tazmin Brits hammered 55 off 42 balls as the partnership added 125 runs in 14.5 overs. Brits clinched the victory with a six over midwicket.
India
