Womens ODI World Cup 2025 Points Table - Nadine de Klerks 84 Overcomes Richa Ghoshs 94 as South Africa Hand India First World Cup Loss

We have heard it a bazillion times before, "In cricket, it is never really over till its actually over". Today, a quintessential example was put on display. First, riding on a Richa Ghosh special, India recovered from a middle order collapse that had seen them go from 55/0 to 102/6.

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And then, South Africa fought back frorm a position where not many gave them a chance to register a win that their fans will not forget for a long long time. Nadine de Klerk was the undisputed hero. She walked in after a scorching Kranti Goud yorker had sent skipper Laura Wolvaardt who had fought hard for her 70 runs and held one end even as wickets kept tumbling from the other end - back to the dugout.

South Africa still needed more than 100 runs tO win off 14 overs and barely had any more batting to come. De Klerk smoked 84 off 54 balls, smashing 8 exquisite fours and 5 imperious sixes and got them home with 7 balls to spare. Don't forget Chloe Tryon's contribution too. With her 3/32, she was one of the major reasons for that collapse in the Indian innings and then with a gritty 49, also the part of two pugnacious partnerships that became the launchpad for that Nadine de Klerk blitzkrieg.

That leaves India, despite a a day where there were plenty of positives on display, with some questions to ponder. Though, one must say that tonight was probably the best fielding performance that India has put in in a while it would be blasphemous to not talk about Richa Ghosh in detail.

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