South Africa

Despite an exceptional performance by the South African team in the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final on Sunday, November 2, the Bayana Bayana were eventually defeated by their Indian counterparts by 52 points in Navi Mumbai. India secures their first World Cup victory on home soil.

South Africa made history on Sunday, November 2, 2025, claiming the silver medal at the ICC 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup. In an exciting final in Navi Mumbai, the Proteas lost to India by 52 runs, 298/7 to 246 all out, giving the Indian team their first world title at home.

I think the pressure was palpable, but we did our best to handle it. We played well, even though we cracked and didn’t manage to win.

Laura Wolvaardt, Captain – South Africa

After a cautious start, South Africa had the advantage with 51 runs without losing a wicket, but the momentum shifted with Tazmin Brits’ dismissal by Harmanpreet Kaur, followed by Bosch’s leg before wicket. Laura Wolvaardt, the tournament’s top scorer with 571 runs, surpassed Australia’s Alyssa Healy for the most runs in a single World Cup. Meanwhile, Marizanne Kapp became the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history with 44 wickets, solidifying her cricketing legend status.

To win matches, you need to be kind, positive, and aggressive, and we really tried to implement all these tips during this tournament. I don’t think it was my best year, but it wasn’t a bad cricket competition, and we are really satisfied with the different options we were able to execute throughout this tournament.

Laura Wolvaardt, Captain – South Africa

The Proteas journey to their first final marks a turning point for women’s cricket in Africa. Even though the South African team returns without the trophy, their silver medal highlights the rapid growth of women’s cricket and inspires a new generation of players. The 2025 tournament will be remembered as a pivotal moment for the rise of the sport in South Africa, driven by exceptional individual performances and collective determination.