Alana King's record seven-fer decimates South Africa

South Africa ended the league stage of the 2025 Women's World Cup exactly how they started it. After getting bowled out for 69 in their opening game, South Africa folded for just 97 against Australia on Saturday (October 25) as their batters put on a horror show. Alana King's record seven-wicket haul paved the way for Australia's ruthless win, that has kept them unbeaten in the league stages, and confirmed the semifinal lineup with the defending champions set to take on India in Navi Mumbai on October 30. England will be taking on South Africa in the first semifinal a day before.

Despite winning five games in a row on either side of the two defeats, this performance in Indore will be a cause for concern for the South Africans especially considering their semifinal opponent inflicted similar damage in their first game. Laura Wolvaardt actually gave South Africa a rousing start when she smashed four boundaries in a single over from Megan Schutt before cracking two more off Kim Garth before a leading edge sent her packing. Tazmin Brits, who just couldn't get going, was then trapped lbw by Garth as South Africa lost both their openers inside the first ten overs.

However, the real damage was in store only when King came into the attack. Sune Luus got a top edge while attempting a sweep and Marizanne Kapp departed for a duck as King kicked off her spell with a double-wicket maiden. Things went downhill real quick when King went on to pick two more wickets in her third over at which point her spell read 2.4-2-0-4. Reduced to 60/6 in no time, South Africa just couldn't find a way out of this mess. Sinalo Jafta went on a boundary spree to race to 29 before getting castled by King for her fifth wicket. The records then tumbled when King continued to make more inroads to eventually become the first woman to pick up a seven-fer in World Cups.

Kapp then gave South Africa something to be excited about for a very brief period when she kickstarted Australia's innings with three consecutive maidens that also saw her pick up a wicket. Masabata Klaas then joined the party by striking first ball that sent Ellyse Perry to the pavilion for a duck. Any jitters that Australia had at 11/2 evaporated real quick when Georgia Voll struck a couple of boundaries off Kapp. Playing in place of Alyssa Healy, Voll spent some valuable time at the crease with Beth Mooney keen on scoring quickly at the other end, racing to 22 off just 18 balls at one point. South Africa did get rid of Mooney right at the end for 42 but that did little to alter the final result as Australia rubber-stamped their credentials as the outright favourites for the title again.

Brief scores: South Africa 97 in 24 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 31; Alana King 7/18) lost to Australia 98/3 in 16.5 overs (Beth Mooney 42, Georgia Voll 38*; Marizanne Kapp 1/11) by 7 wickets