England Women vs South Africa Women, 1st Semi-Final - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

Rolled out for 69 in their opening game against England at the very same venue. It was the spell of Linsey Smith (Player of the Match in that game) that started it all, and South Africa, as skipper Wolvaardt mentioned, did track their minds back to that demolition before the start of this contest. It would not have been easy, but as fate would have it - Smith got smashed for exactly 69 in her 10 overs today and had no wickets to show for her efforts. Denied twice (CapeTown 2023. Dubai 2024), can South Africa finally get their hands on an ICC trophy? Well, for now they will soak in all the highs of today and wait for the winner of the second semi-final. Hosts India will be locking horns with the mighty Aussies in Navi Mumbai tomorrow. It is going to be an absolute blockbuster of a contest and we can't wait to bring you all the thrills and spills from that game. Do remember to tune in for that spicy affair. Until then, cheers and goodbye from the team of Raju Peethala, Siva and Naveen.

Laura Wolvaardt | South Africa captain: It’s very special. Everyone’s just so excited. We’ve been on the wrong side of two previous semi-finals against this same team really hurt, so to finally get the win tonight means a lot to the group. I’m just really proud of the way we played. (did the memories of 69 all-out come back?) It did a little bit. I think same opposition, same venue, your mind sort of automatically goes back to that game. But honestly, losing the toss wasn’t the worst thing in the world tonight. We just felt that runs on the board in a semi-final would be key. I wasn’t sure if 320 would be enough - the pitch looked pretty flat at the end - but credit to our bowlers for the way they stepped up. It was amazing. It really was a game of partnerships. Taz and I started well, then when we lost a couple of quick wickets, Kappie came in and took all the pressure off me. I went through a bit of a dip, but she just kept going. Knowing we still had power hitters waiting in the sheds, I just thought - it’s time to swing. Sort of get out or hit boundaries. Thankfully, it came off. No. I think they were 0-2 and 1-3 or something. I definitely didn't expect that. (Smiles) Kappie was phenomenal - a five-wicket haul in a semi-final is something special. Even then, we knew they had quality batters, so we couldn’t relax. I think for as long as Nat was there, it really looked like it could go either way. But once that early momentum came, we just kept pushing. (on Kapp) So special. I think throughout the tournament, she's really sort of been finding her way with the ball. She’s been building throughout the tournament, and tonight it all came together. That first wicket she took - perfect delivery. And with the bat, she’s such a reliable presence. She’s honestly a two-in-one player, and having that experience in the team is priceless. It’s incredible. We’re a group that’s worked so hard for this. In this format especially - where you play everyone - it feels like a really fair test. We’ve played consistent cricket all tournament, and I’m so proud that we’re now in another final. (on the final) Whoever it is, it’s going to be a great occasion. Whether it’s a packed home crowd for India or facing the world champions Australia, we’ll be ready. We’ll celebrate tonight - just a little - then go back to the drawing board tomorrow.

Nat Sciver-Brunt | England skipper: Well, what an incredible two innings from South Africa. I think we ran our best today, and I suppose to beat the best teams, you have to. You have to put a whole game together. We didn't do that today, and we're obviously hugely disappointed. It will take a bit of time to sink in, but yeah, just disappointed, I'd say. Yeah, definitely (if England felt they were back in the game after the triple strike). I also think during the powerplay and afterwards, we didn't, I suppose, let the game go too far. We were pretty happy with the control that we had. We knew a wicket at one end would be able to make some inroads, which we did, and then we'll see if they got another partnership together. Obviously, she (Wolvaardt) had the best of the conditions. She knew what she was doing and really took advantage. There were some explosive batters coming in as well, making it very difficult for us. Like I said, you have to put whole innings together at least, and then obviously the second innings as well. But yeah, I think we stuck at it really well as a side and I suppose didn't let the occasion get to us, I think, in the field and really pleased with everyone's energy throughout that 50 overs. Kappy bowled some brilliant deliveries. And yeah, I mean, obviously with the start that they had with the bat, we wanted to emulate that, but yeah, it wasn't as easy as just going out and trying to bat the way that Wolvaardt did. Obviously it's not ideal losing three very quick wickets. So yeah, that made the chase difficult from the start, but I think the way that Capsey and I, I suppose, put together a partnership, showed that we were up with where the South Africans were in their first innings. So yeah, we obviously needed to do it for a lot longer than we did in the end. I think we've come a long way since the summer. I think we're a different side, certainly, from then, and we've learned a lot about ourselves. Obviously this will hurt, but hopefully in time we'll be able to take the learnings from it and move forward because we've made some great strides so far in quite a short space of time. But I think it's really exciting where we can go. Obviously to beat the best teams you have to really be at your best. And yeah, hopefully we'll come back stronger the next time.

Laura Wolvaardt | Player of the Match: It still feels a bit unreal. I think that's sort of the thing that you dream about as a kid is scoring 100 in a World Cup, knockout game as well. Very special day and I'm so glad we won in the end. We knew the start would be crucial. I think Taz (Brits) and I have been really strong at the top of the order and we've done well at the top. We've sort of picked up the rest of the line-up, so really happy we were able to get that partnership up front. We did end up in front quite early. It was a decent wicket, so we just wanted to keep going. Really nice that we got to a big score because it was a pretty flat wicket out there. I think in the back of my mind, I know I had better shots (talking about the leg-side big hits towards the end), but I was really just wanting to get to the 40th over. I think that was really my goal today, to sort of hold things together and get to the 40th to let Nadine, Annerie, Chloe really work for those last 10. I thought while I'm there, I might as well try and swing. So yeah, happy to go a few of those leg side boundaries. Maybe needed a bit earlier. Probably has to be the top (ranking her knock), I think just the context of the game, World Cup semi-final. Winning the game against a very strong side, a very strong bowling attack. Yeah, I think it's right up there.

Biggest defeat margins for ENG-W in World Cups
126 runs vs AUS-W, North Sydney, 1988
125 runs vs SA-W, Guwahati, 2025*
93 runs vs NZ-W, Lincoln, 2000
71 runs vs AUS-W, Christchurch, 2022
54 runs vs AUS-W, Lincoln, 2000

Five-wicket haul for SA-W in ODI World Cups
5/67 - Sune Luus vs AUS, Taunton, 2017
5/45 - Marizanne Kapp vs ENG, Mount Maunganui, 2022
5/20 - Marizanne Kapp vs ENG, Guwahati, 2025*

The Women's team had lost each of their three WC semifinals previously (2000, 2017, 2022)

South Africa in semis in ODI WC (Men’s/Women’s)
Matches: 9
Won: 1
Lost: 7
Tied: 1 (vs AUS, 1999)

This is the first time that South Africa have qualified for an ODI World Cup final - Men's or Women's.

This is the third consecutive final for South Africa Women’s in World Cups (ODI+T20I combined). They reached the final in the last two T20 World Cup editions.

21:35 Local Time, 16:05 GMT, 21:35 IST: Third ICC final in a row for South Africa. They have buried the ghosts of the 2017 and 2022 World Cup semis and sunk England. Richly deserved too. And out comes Kapp from inside the dressing room, I can spot a tear or two on her face. What emotions and what moments as South Africa celebrate. Kapp and Wolvaardt the two guns in this team came to the party. One with the bat with an innings for the ages and then Kapp with the ball who took double wicket-maidens twice in the game to snuff out England's challenge. Her opening burst saw South Africa reduce England to 1/3 and from there it was an uphill task for the chasing side. But Capsey and NSB fought back with a stand of 107 and when the England skipper looked threatening, who else but Kapp to come back and produce a peach of a wobble-seam delivery to get her out. She followed it up with two more and took a fifer. Before NSB's wicket, Kapp was off the field with cramp and after the fifer, she again was off the field watching on as her side finished it off. Ever since that opening game defeat against the same opponents, South Africa have just grown exponentially and have been a side on the rise. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff....

de Klerk to Smith, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Kapp is off the field with cramp.