India’s Opponent In Women’s World Cup 2025 Semifinals Confirmed After Australia Defeats South Africa
Women’s World Cup 2025 Semifinals
Riding on leg-spinner Alana King’s magical spell, Australia clinched a seven-wicket victory over South Africa to finish on top of the Women’s World Cup league stage. With this win on Saturday, the defending champions sealed the top spot in the standings and will now face hosts India in the semifinals at Navi Mumbai on Thursday. Even if India beat Bangladesh in their final league game on Sunday, they cannot finish higher than fourth.
At the Holkar Stadium, King produced the best performance of her career, taking 7 wickets for just 18 runs in 7 overs to bundle South Africa out for a mere 97 in 24 overs. The Australian batters then chased down the target comfortably with 199 balls to spare.
King displayed exceptional control and craft, proving once again why she is one of the finest wrist-spinners in the modern game. Her figures were not only the best-ever by an Australian in women’s ODIs but also the best bowling performance in Women’s World Cup history.
Chasing the small target, Australia suffered a brief hiccup when opener Phoebe Litchfield (5) and veteran Ellyse Perry (0) fell early, giving South Africa a glimmer of hope. But Beth Mooney (42) and Georgia Voll (unbeaten 38) stitched together a 76-run partnership to seal the win and maintain Australia’s unbeaten run.
Earlier, King single-handedly destroyed South Africa’s batting lineup. Her victims included some of their best batters — Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Chloe Tryon, and Nadine de Klerk. Two of her seven overs were maidens.
In this top-of-the-table clash, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt (31) gave her side a flying start, hitting seven boundaries in the first six overs and punishing Megan Schutt’s erratic lines. However, Wolvaardt’s fluent innings ended when she mistimed a shot off Schutt, with King completing a sharp diving catch at short mid-wicket. Soon after, Tazmin Brits departed for a painstaking 6 off 19 balls, dismissed by Kim Garth, leaving South Africa in early trouble.
Then began the “Alana King Show.” Luus offered a simple catch to mid-on, and four balls later, King tempted Kapp with a teasing delivery outside off, which the all-rounder edged to Garth behind square.
Sinalo Jafta (29) tried to resist, but King struck again in the same over, bowling Annerie Dercksen and having Chloe Tryon caught by Ashleigh Gardner at mid-wicket for a golden duck.
Jafta and Nadine de Klerk launched a brief counterattack, but King shattered Jafta’s stumps to end her fight before producing a brilliant leg-break that sent Masabata Klaas’s off stump flying, wrapping up the innings.
As a result, Australia’s semifinal opponent is confirmed to be India, with the blockbuster clash set for Thursday in Navi Mumbai.
