New Delhi: The last time the two sides met, England skittled out South Africa for 69 runs at the same venue – Guwahati – where they will square off again in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday.
For those who questioned England’s prowess before the tournament, that performance was a statement. And for those who dismissed South Africa after that loss, the rest of their campaign turned into a show of what they are made of.
Laura Wolvaardt’s team bounced back in style, stringing together five consecutive wins to storm into the knockouts before a final group-stage stumble against Australia, triggered by spinner Alana King’s 7-wicket haul.
In between those two batting collapses, South Africa demonstrated their rhythm and fight with new match-winners emerging every game. Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus, they had different players delivering when it mattered the most.
“Most of our discussions leading up to tomorrow have been about making sure we’re in the right mental state… really believing in our preparation and trusting our skills,” said Wolvaardt.
Left-arm spinner Mlaba has thrived in subcontinental conditions, taking 11 wickets at an average of 18.9. Wolvaardt, after a slow start, has been the team’s anchor with three fifties in five innings, while Kapp has provided balance with bat and ball. De Klerk, a proven performer in this World Cup, remains South Africa’s clutch player.
For England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and coach Charlotte Edwards, reaching the knockouts in their first ICC event together is a promising sign. England came into the World Cup with visible gaps in their setup but managed to iron out many of them to finish second on the points table.
“We started the tournament unsure of where we stood compared to other teams,” Sciver-Brunt said. “But our goal was always to come here and try to win, regardless of where we are in our journey. To reach the knockout stage of a World Cup this early in our tenure is really special.”
England’s vulnerabilities have occasionally resurfaced — against Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka — but they managed to scrape through. Their middle order remains a concern with Sophia Dunkley struggling for form and Danni Wyatt-Hodge replacing Emma Lamb against New Zealand.
Spin duo Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith have been standouts with 12 wickets each. Smith was the chief destroyer in that earlier clash against South Africa, taking 3/7. Ecclestone is nursing a shoulder niggle but trained on match eve with Sciver-Brunt saying she is likely to play.
For South Africa, this is more than just another semi-final. They’ve fallen to England at this stage in the last two 50-over World Cups and history hasn’t been kind to them, having lost seven of the last nine ODIs between the two nations. But this time they come armed with the ability to turn things around.
They’ve already been T20 World Cup finalists, in 2022 and 2024. Now, they stand one win away from breaking their 50-over barrier. But against a strategic and prepared England side, SA will need to summon every fibre of the character that has defined their campaign so far.
