New Zealand’s captain Sophie Devine raised her 17th ODI fifty off 65 balls and struck nine fours, appearing to bat on a different surface altogether on a Holkar Stadium pitch that had produced 326 runs in the previous game. File.
| Photo Credit: AP
Inspirational New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine continued her sublime form with yet another fluent half-century, but South Africa fought back brilliantly through left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba’s four-wicket haul to bowl out the former champions for a modest 231 in their Women’s World Cup group match in Indore on Monday (October 6, 2025).
Making her 300th international appearance, the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain Devine once again led from the front, crafting a composed 85 runs off 98 deliveries under pressure even as wickets tumbled around her.
She raised her 17th ODI fifty off 65 balls and struck nine fours, appearing to bat on a different surface altogether on a Holkar Stadium pitch that had produced 326 runs in the previous game.
However, Mlaba’s late burst and sharp South African fielding turned the innings on its head as she returned figures of 4/40 in an incisive second spell.
Reintroduced in the 39th over after a quiet spell, Mlaba’s second spell of 5-0-18-4 proved decisive as she triggered a collapse that saw New Zealand lose their last five wickets for just 37 runs before being bundled out in 47.5 overs.
Mlaba first removed the dangerous Brooke Halliday (45 off 37 balls, 6×4), who had injected momentum into the innings with positive strokeplay in an 86-run stand with Devine.
She then dismissed Devine, denying the Kiwi captain back-to-back World Cup hundreds after her 112 against Australia five days ago.
Devine, looking to force the pace, was bowled after missing a skidding delivery that brushed her pad before hitting the stumps.
Earlier, the day began disastrously for New Zealand when veteran Suzie Bates, playing her 350th international match, was dismissed for a golden duck off the very first ball.
Georgia Plimmer (31 off 68) and Amelia Kerr (17) went into a shell as the South African bowlers kept things tight, restricting the scoring rate to under four an over.
At the halfway stage, New Zealand were 101 for 2, struggling to accelerate on a surface slower than the one used in their previous match against Australia.
Sixteen of their first 20 overs’ runs had come in wides, underlining the lack of fluency in their batting.
Plimmer’s painstaking stay finally ended when she holed out to long-on off Chloe Tryon (1/43), trying to break the shackles.
Her dismissal brought in Halliday, whose counter-attacking approach immediately lifted the tempo with crisp drives and backfoot punches.
But once Mlaba struck twice in quick succession, removing Halliday and Maddy Green (4) the innings lost steam again.
Mlaba also effected a sharp run-out to dismiss Isabella Gaze (10) following a poor call by Devine, as New Zealand slumped from 187/4 to 212/7.
South Africa are coming off a crushing defeat to England in Guwahati where they were bowled out for 69 — the second-lowest total in Women’s World Cup history.
New Zealand, meanwhile, are seeking to bounce back after their 89-run loss to world champions Australia at the same venue, where they were bowled out for 237 in pursuit of 327 despite Devine’s century.
Published – October 06, 2025 06:57 pm IST
