INDORE: South Africa delivered a remarkable comeback in the Women’s World Cup on Monday, defeating New Zealand by six wickets thanks to a magnificent century from Tazmin Brits, who led from the front after their crushing loss to England.
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Playing at the Holkar Stadium, Brits produced a match-winning performance, scoring 101 off 89 balls with 15 fours and a six — her fourth century in five ODIs. Her exceptional innings helped South Africa successfully chase down a 232-run target in just 40.5 overs, reviving their World Cup campaign in style.
Earlier in the day, New Zealand had been bowled out for 231 in 47.5 overs after electing to bat first. Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba was the star with the ball, taking 4 for 40, while pace bowler Marizanne Kapp made an early impact by dismissing Suzie Bates on the very first ball of the match.
The game carried extra significance as New Zealand veteran Suzie Bates made her 350th international appearance, becoming the first woman in cricket history to reach the milestone — an incredible feat that includes 173 ODIs and 177 T20Is. However, her historic day ended in disappointment as South Africa outplayed the Kiwis in every department.
South Africa’s innings was anchored by a commanding 159-run partnership between Brits and Sune Luus, who remained unbeaten on 83 off 96 balls, striking 10 boundaries and a six. Luus held her composure until the end, scoring the winning runs that sealed a morale-boosting win for her side.
South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt expressed pride in her team’s response following their previous defeat to England, where they were bowled out for a mere 69 runs. “It is such an amazing turnaround,” Wolvaardt said. “This is what we knew we were capable of. I’m really proud of how quickly we put that behind us and bounced back today.”
For New Zealand, the defeat marked their second consecutive loss in the tournament following their opening defeat to Australia, leaving them in a challenging position to stay in contention for the semifinals.
Captain Sophie Devine, who played a captain’s knock of 85 off 98 balls with nine boundaries in her 300th international appearance, acknowledged the uphill battle ahead. “We have to win a lot of games now,” she said. “This puts a bit more pressure on the remaining games. We know exactly where we stand and what we have to do.”
Devine’s innings was crucial in steadying New Zealand’s innings after an early collapse. She first built a 57-run third-wicket partnership with Georgia Plimmer (31), then added another 86 runs with Brooke Halliday (45) to guide her team to a promising position at 187-3. However, after Devine’s dismissal by Mlaba, the batting order collapsed dramatically, losing seven wickets for just 44 runs, leaving the team well short of what looked like a competitive total.
Mlaba’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from the Proteas ensured New Zealand could not recover from the collapse. South Africa’s batting response was composed and confident, with Brits dominating the bowlers and finding boundaries at will.
This victory marked a strong statement from South Africa, proving their ability to bounce back under pressure and stay alive in the competition. With this win, the team regained momentum and confidence heading into their next fixtures, while New Zealand now face an uphill task to qualify after two early setbacks.
Tazmin Brits, named Player of the Match, summed up the team’s spirit best: “We wanted to show our fight after the last game. It feels great to contribute and get the win for the team.”
