South Africa secured their fifth consecutive win with a dominant batting display in a rain-affected match, defeating Pakistan by 150 runs (DLS method) in Colombo to move to the top of the standings and eliminate Pakistan from semifinal contention. In the game, shortened to 40 overs per side, South Africa piled up 312 for 9, thanks to Laura Wolvaardt’s composed 90, quickfire fifties from Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp, and a blistering 41 off just 16 balls by Nadine de Klerk. The initial target of 306 for Pakistan was adjusted multiple times under the DLS method as rain continued to interrupt play. Despite fears of abandonment, a result was achieved, with Pakistan ending on 83 for 7 while chasing a revised target of 234 in 20 overs.
Laura Wolvaardt's enormous batting display
Laura Wolvaardt set the tone early with a boundary off the first ball, but her opening partner Tazmin Brits fell soon after for her third duck of the tournament, edging Fatima Sana to slip. A rain delay of nearly two and a half hours reduced the contest, yet South Africa’s momentum remained untouched. Wolvaardt kept building the innings with elegant strokes, while Sune Luus found the boundaries consistently and cleared the ropes twice as the pair powered South Africa past 100 within 15 overs. Luus completed a fluent 55-ball fifty before being dismissed by Nashra Sandhu, ending an impressive 118-run stand for the second wicket.
Wolvaardt reached her own half-century shortly after, though the flow was interrupted when Annerie Dercksen was run out. Marizanne Kapp joined her captain, and together they maintained the scoring rate with a lively 64-run partnership. Wolvaardt accelerated toward a possible century, hitting a series of powerful shots to take South Africa beyond 200 in under 30 overs. However, she fell just short of a hundred, stumped off Sandhu’s bowling, who also dismissed Karabo Meso in the same over, leaving the team slightly unsettled at 212 for 5.
Kapp continued the charge, reaching her fifty with ease while Chloe Tryon added valuable runs through quick boundaries before being stumped by Sadia Iqbal. The late fireworks came from Nadine de Klerk, who played a sensational cameo filled with aggression, hammering three fours and four sixes. Her explosive hitting—especially two sixes in the 38th over and a 25-run assault off Fatima Sana in the 39th—propelled South Africa past 300. Though the team lost three wickets in the final over, they still collected 11 runs to finish with a commanding total.
South Africa's bowling attack shines yet again
Muneeba Ali began Pakistan’s chase confidently with a boundary off the first ball, but the momentum quickly faded. She was dismissed by Ayabonga Khaka after top-edging a shot across the line. Sidra Amin survived a couple of chances yet failed to make the most of them, edging Marizanne Kapp to the wicketkeeper soon after Omaima Sohail was trapped lbw in the same over. Kapp continued her fiery spell by dismissing Aliya Riaz caught behind, leaving Pakistan in deep trouble at 35 for 4 after 10 overs.
Rain soon returned, halting play once again and forcing several target revisions under the DLS method. The chase was first reduced to 299 in 37 overs, then to 270 in 27, and eventually to 262 in 25 overs as interruptions kept returning. Just as conditions improved and players prepared to resume, rain struck repeatedly, causing further delays. Thanks to the efficient efforts of the groundsmen, play resumed just in time before the cut-off period.
When the match restarted, South Africa turned to their spinners to finish the job. Nonkululeko Mlaba and Nondumiso Shangase bowled tightly, completing their four overs each and striking crucial blows. Shangase had Natalia Pervaiz caught behind and bowled Fatima Sana in her final over. Chloe Tryon and Sune Luus then polished off the remaining overs, sealing a comprehensive and emphatic victory for South Africa.
SCORECARD: South Africa 312/9 in 40 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 90, Marizanne Kapp 68*, Sune Luus 61; Nashra Sandhu 3-45) beat Pakistan 83/7 in 20 overs (Sidra Nawaz 22*; Marizanne Kapp 3-20, Nondumiso Shangase 2-19) by 150 runs (DLS method).