India’s women’s cricket team put up a composed performance in the early stages of their crucial ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 group match against South Africa, reaching 65 for 1 after 13.2 overs at the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on October 9. The match, delayed by an hour due to rain, saw South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt win the toss and opt to bowl first—a decision that set the stage for a compelling contest between two sides fighting for momentum in the tournament.
Rawal Shines Under Pressure
India’s openers, Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal, looked assured against a probing South African attack. Rawal, in particular, showed her class in the powerplay. Early drama unfolded when Rawal was pinned in front but survived after the third umpire confirmed a no-ball, denying South Africa a wicket and instead giving Rawal a free hit. She capitalized immediately, sending the next two balls to the boundary—first through square leg and then with a crisp cover drive to end the over.
Mandhana, meanwhile, began to find her rhythm on a surface that looked ideal for batting. The pair’s opening stand gave India a solid platform with no wickets lost in the powerplay. South Africa’s bowlers, including Nonkululeko Mlaba and Ayabonga Khaka, tried to make inroads, but a combination of disciplined batting and some loose deliveries allowed the hosts to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Team Changes and Tournament Context
Both teams made one change to their XI. India brought back Amanjot Kaur, who missed the previous match due to illness, in place of swing bowler Renuka Singh. South Africa retained most of their lineup, with Masabata Klaas—who had gone wicketless in the previous two games—hoping to make an impact.
India entered this fixture on the back of two wins, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and a victory here would temporarily put them at the top of the table. For South Africa, it’s been a mixed campaign: a heavy loss to England (bowled out for just 69) followed by a strong six-wicket win over New Zealand. The Proteas’ all-right-hand batting lineup has faced challenges against left-arm spin, something India might look to exploit later in the match.
As the fielding restrictions eased after the powerplay, South Africa turned to their spinners in search of a breakthrough. But with the Indian batters settled and the pitch playing true, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side looked set to post a competitive total in this high-stakes World Cup encounter.
