BAN W VS SA W MATCH 14

After being bowled out for 69 in their campaign opener, South Africa have bounced back emphatically with three consecutive wins. With this win, they move up to third in the standings, although their net run rate remains in the negative. Bangladesh, meanwhile, have now lost three games in a row, but they have certainly made their opponents work hard and have plenty of positives to build on. South Africa’s next assignment sees them travel to Colombo to face Sri Lanka on Friday, 17th October, while Bangladesh will prepare to take on Australia in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, 16th October. Up next in the 2025 Women’s World Cup, the action shifts to Colombo, where Sri Lanka will lock horns with New Zealand on Tuesday, 14th October. The first ball will be bowled at 9.30 am GMT, but as always, you can join us early for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

The victorious captain of South Africa, Laura Wolvaardt, is up for a chat. Says it got closer than they would have liked but feels glad to get two crucial points in the end. Shares that they tried to stay patient as much as they could, and also shares that slower bowlers were doing well and the plan was not to leave the stumps. Appreciates the way the batters of Bangladesh performed. She admits it was frustrating not to pick up wickets and credits Shorna Akter for applying herself well. She also acknowledges that they didn’t get the start they were hoping for but praises Kapp and Tryon for their efforts. She adds that the team tried to be patient and build partnerships but kept losing wickets at crucial stages. Also details that Rabeya Khan, in particular, was hard to pick, so they just tried to play her out. On winning close games, she mentions that it feels nice to at least cross the line, as she highlights that there have been many occasions when they have fallen short. Feels nice to see the middle order getting the job done. Expects that their top order will also fire as they need to have that confidence. On Klaas' cameo in the end, she points out that her lap shot was amazing to watch and will be talked about for a long time.

The captain of Bangladesh, Nigar Sultana Joty says she is immensely proud of how the team fought until the last ball. Shares that it is sad to see the girls crying in the dressing room, as they have given their everything. Mentions that the team is very young, emotional, and kept believing they could get the win. She explains that the plan was not to give wickets in the Powerplay, which is why a few changes were made at the top of the order, and feels that they were 10-15 runs short. States that Shorna Akter has a bright future and has a lot of potential. Joty encourages the team to be proud, keep their heads high, and continue doing the right things in the remaining three matches.

South Africa's Chloe Tryon is adjudged the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her match-winning knock of 62 from 69 deliveries. She collects her emotions together and says that she is out of words. Reflects that they wanted to take the game deep. Says that she believed that De Klerk would do what she does best in the death overs. Feels happy for getting over the line. Points that they wanted to build a partnership and keep the scoreboard ticking. Also shares that they were waiting for the bad balls and states that they believed and backed themselves to chase 80 runs in the last 10 overs. Shares that they were nice and calm in the middle and ran really hard between the wickets. Ends by saying that they will enjoy this win before the big game in Colombo.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Earlier, after opting to bat first, Bangladesh made a watchful start. Neither of the openers could convert their start, and at the halfway mark, they found themselves plodding along at 73/2. It all started to change with the arrival of Nigar Sultana Joty, who injected the much-needed urgency into the innings and stitched a valuable stand with Sharmin Akhter. Both fell in quick succession, but Shorna Akhter ensured the innings didn’t go off track. Her 35-ball 51, the fastest fifty for Bangladesh in Women’s ODIs, powered her side to 232 with 57 runs coming off the last 5 overs.

Kapp’s departure gave Bangladesh renewed belief, and they had a big chance but Tryon was dropped on 46. She eventually went on to score 62, and the over in which the catch was dropped went for 16 runs. Bangladesh had another similar chance in the penultimate over when Nadine De Klerk was dropped and she went on to take her side home with Masabata Klaas. Who knows, had one of those catches been taken, the result might have been very different. Looking back, after South Africa had lost five wickets, the Bangladeshi spinners began bowling a bit too short and did not do justice to the conditions or the skills they possess.

With the way they finished the innings, Bangladesh carried the momentum into their bowling effort. Tazmin Brits fell for a second consecutive duck, but the Asian side could not quite build on that scalp. Just when it looked like Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch were settling into a partnership, a mix-up led to Laura’s dismissal. That was the breakthrough Bangladesh needed, and they made sure to capitalise on it. The wobble saw the Proteas slip from 58/1 to 78/5, losing 4 wickets for just 20 runs. Chloe Tryon and Marizanne Kapp then came together to steady the rocking ship, compiling an 85-run partnership. They absorbed the pressure like a sponge early on, and what stood out in their stand was how they ran between the wickets, playing the ball with soft hands into the gaps while punishing the bad deliveries

Nadine De Klerk wins it for South Africa, once again! Vizag continues to deliver thrillers, and the Proteas keep finding ways to chase down totals. This marks their third successive win while chasing in this World Cup and the second game in a row where they found themselves in trouble but managed to get over the line. Bangladesh are left crestfallen. They fought tooth and nail just like they did against England, where they threatened to pull off an upset, and tonight too against South Africa, but it was not to be.

SIX! NADINE DE KLERK FINISHES OFF IN STYLE! And for the second time in a row, she has helped her side to cross the winning line. Nadine De 'Klutch' as she is very fondly known in the dressing room, holds her nerves and does the job once again for the Proteas. Coming to the delivery, Nahida bowls a loosener as it is a full toss, on the leg stump line. Nadine De Klerk gets her bat under the ball and smokes it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a cracking six. Three back-to-back wins for the Proteas. Bangladesh Women, on the other hand, fought till the last ball, came so close to winning, but yet again, their fielding lapses cost them the game. Absolutely contrasting scenes in both camps and that is sport in a nutshell. Hugs and cheers in the South African dugout, and stunned silence in the Bangladeshi shed. SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN WIN BY 3 WICKETS!

Very slow through the air, full and on middle. Nadine De Klerk is a bit early to play the slog sweep, and inside edges it onto the front pad and the ball rolls back to the bowler.

FOUR! That should be the game for the Proteas! Very full, wide on off, turning away. Nadine De Klerk swings with all her might and loses her grip of the bottom hand, but manages to clear backward point for a boundary. 4 needed off 5 balls now.

Right then, 8 needed off the final over. The experienced Nahida Akter will bowl the final over. Her previous over went for 8. Can she defend 7 here?

Slightly full in length, around off, this is chopped to the point fielder. Klaas looks for a single, but De Klerk sends her back and yet again, the fielder is a bit late to get on the ball.

HIGH UP IN THE AIR AND DROPPED! My goodness! That was an absolute dolly. Full and around the off pole from Rabeya, Nadine De Klerk mistimes it up in the air, off the toe end. The ball has the elevation but not the distance and it goes straight down the throat of the long off fielder, but it is shelled by Shorna Akter. They cross. The players on the field, and even in the dressing room are absolutely stunned. Shorna just might have dropped the match for her side.

Full and around off and middle. Worked down to long on for a single.

Straight up in the air... lands safe! A dipping full toss, on the leg stump. Nadine De Klerk sits down on her knee and badly mistimes the slog sweep. But luckily for her, the ball lands between square leg and the converging deep mid-wicket fielder. The square leg fielder picks up and throws as the batters look for a second, but De Klerk sends her back. Joty collects the throw and breaks the stumps, but Klaas gets home just in time. They settle with a single.