Laura Wolvaardt's 169 and Marizanne Kapp's five-for see South Africa hammer England by 125 runs to enter the 2025 Women's World Cup final. Chasing 320 for the win, England looked down and out after losing three wickets off the first seven balls of their innings. Nat Sciver-Brunt and Alice Capsey steadied them with a 107-run stand for the fourth wicket, with both hitting half-centuries, but their dismissals opened the floodgates. South Africa will play in the Women's World Cup final for the first time, and they will be joined by either India or Australia.

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Two boundaries in the over for Bell! Hits this one straight over the bowler's head. Nadine de Klerk made a long chase down but was unable to stop it. Valiant effort. England delaying South Africa's win

ENG-W: 194/9 (42)

Wyatt-Hodge's resistance is broken! South Africa are almost there. More catching practice in the deep, and England are nine down now. That brings Lauren Bell into the middle

Danni Wyatt-Hodge c sub (TS Sekhukhune) b de Klerk 34 (31) 

ENG-W: 175/9 (38.6)

Smith isn't going down without a fight! Two boundaries from as many deliveries for the spinner. Meanwhile, Mlaba might have hurt herself a little too, and she is wringing her right hand.

ENG-W: 165/8 (35.3)

Another one bites the dust! Mlaba gets her wicket and Sophie Ecclestone holes out in the deep. Floated up full on middle and leg and she miscues it straight to Dercksen at deep mid wicket! South Africa two wickets away from a place in Sunday's final 

Sophie Ecclestone c Dercksen b Mlaba 2 (12)

ENG-W: 151/8 (33.2) 

Two in two balls for Kapp! She gets her five-for and will be on a hattrick. This was her 44th wicket in the history of the tournament, one more than India great Jhulan Goswami (43). She is now the highest wicket-taker at Women's World Cup. Completely identical dismissals, as Dunkley and Dean edge it behind 

ENG-W: 144/7 (30.3)

Kapp gets the big fish as England lose the wicket of their skipper, Nat Sciver-Brunt. Perfect length ball that shapes away and kisses the outside edge. Kapp takes his third

Nat Sciver-Brunt c Jafta b Kapp 64 (76)

ENG-W: 138/5 (28.3)

Wyatt-Hodge welcomes back Marizanne Kapp with a boundary. Opens the face, uses the pace! Finds the gap towards fine third region. The required run-rate is still over eight. England need more of those

ENG-W: 127/4 (26.1)

Fifty up for both Alice Capsey and Nat-Sciver Brunt. However, the former holes out soon after registering her first career ODI fifty. Sune Luus with the crucial breakthrough for the Proteas. Turns the game right on its head

ENG-W: 108/4 (22.5)

Most wickets for England in Women's ODIs

170 - Katherine Sciver-Brunt

139* - Sophie Ecclestone

136 - Jenny Gunn

129 - Laura Marsh

106 - Anya Shrubsole

Capsey is playing a smart knock here! Supporting her captain while collecting boundaries whenever the opportunity arrives. Both batting in their 30s. This has been a gutsy stand, albeit there's still a long way to go

ENG-W: 83/3 (18)

Cracking boundary from NSB brings up the 50-run stand between her and Alice Capsey. Gets down on the sweep, fetches it and swats it all along the carpet through mid wicket! Capsey batting well on 24 as well

ENG-W: 53/3 (12.4)

Another top drive from NSB! Length ball outside off and drills this between extra cover and cover point. No chance for the fielders. She plays this shot very well. Went for the drive again, but this was slightly squarish and the fielder stops the ball the second time of asking

ENG-W: 28/3 (8.4)

Sciver-Brunt finds the gap! First boundary for her. Khaka over-pitches wide outside off and the England captain drills this between cover and extra cover. England need a captain's knock from her 

ENG-W: 15/3 (5.4)

Top-order collapse! Khaka removes Tammy Beaumont. South Africa appealed for a caught behind and the umpire did not hesitate. Beaumont takes the decision upstairs and England lose a review. Clear spike when the ball was passing the bat and South Africa are in dreamland

Tammy Beaumont c Jafta b Khaka 0 (1)

ENG-W: 1/3 (1.2)

A double-wicket maiden for Kapp! Chopped on, and Heather Knight has to walk back as well. England have been well and truly stunned. Ayabonga Khaka will take the new ball from the other end, hoping to put more pressure on England
ENG-W: 0/2 (0.6)

Marizanne Kapp does it again in the first over! A two-ball duck for Amy Jones. She leaves a huge gap between bat and pad. The ball nips back in to rattle the stumps. England have been rocked early in the chase

Amy Jones b Kapp 0 (2)

ENG-W: 0/1 (0.2)

The first semi-final of the ICC Women's World Cup has lived up to its billing so far, thanks to Laura Wolvaardt's 169. The Proteas captain led from the front despite wickets falling at the other end, registering the highest score by a South African batter at Women's World Cups. She found some support from Tazmin Brits (45) and Marizanne Kapp (44) at the start of the innings, and later on from Chloe Tryon (33 not out). The Proteas finished at 319/7, thanks to some late fireworks. Sophie Ecclestone was the pick of the bowlers for England with four wickets to her name, while Lauren Bell also bagged a couple. England need 320 to enter the final.

Wolvaardt holes out at last! Slower ball does the trick for Lauren Bell and England. Capsey takes a good catch. England players shake hands with Wolvaardt as she walks back to the dressing room. She departs after smashing a huge record

Highest scores for South Africa in World Cups

169 - Laura Wolvaardt vs ENG-W, 2025 SF

102* - Marizanne Kapp vs PAK-W, 2013

101* - Linda Olivier vs IRE-W, 2000

101 - Tazmin Brits vs NZ-W, 2025

6,4,4,4 - Wolvaardt gets to her 150 in style! 20 off that over from Linsey Smith. Wolvaardt is literally playing with the field. Chloe Tryon has done her bit by giving the strike to her captain. Can they reach 320?

SA-W: 284/6 (47)

50 partership between Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon. 41 of those have come from the bat of the skipper. She has single-handedly kept SA afloat. 300 looks very doable with four overs left

SA-W: 254/6 (45.1)

Most wickets for England in Women's World Cups

37 - Sophie Ecclestone (16 inns)*

37 - Carole Hodges (24 inns)

36 - Clare Taylor (25 inns)

34 - Anya Shrubsole (22 inns)

No stopping Wolvaardt at the moment! 15 off that over from Sciver-Brunt. 300 seems achievable if she bats on for the remaining overs. Quality ball striking by the Proteas skipper

SA-W: 238/6 (44)

Sophie Ecclestone finishes with figures of 4/44. Almost had her fifth on the final ball of the spell but the replays confirmed that the ball was going wide of leg stump. An innings-changing spell. Wolvaardt continues to stand tall

SA-W: 223/6 (43)

Ecclestone gets her fourth as Dercksen deflects it back into the stumps. Went for a reverse sweep but makes a meal of it

Annerie Dercksen b Ecclestone 4 (14)

SA-W: 202/6 (40.1)

Laura Wolvaardt gets to her 10th ODI century. First at Women's World Cups. What a stage to get to the landmark. She has single handedly kept his side in the hunt with wickets falling at the other end.

SA-W: 200/5 (39.4)

What a ball from Lauren Bell! It's hard to keep her out of action. Jafta is disbelief in disbelief as the ball breezes past the outside edge and thunders into middle and off stump. 

Sinalo Jafta b Bell 1 (4)

SA-W: 192/5 (37.1)

Ecclestone does the job for England! Kapp to tonk it into the river, but she gets under it a fair bit. Dean runs back and takes a good catch under the light.

Marizanne Kapp c Dean b Ecclestone 42 (33) 

SA-W: 191/4 (36.3)

Kapp brings out the paddle sweep and Lauren Bell at short fine almost took the catch of the tournament. Managed to get her left hand to it but the ball pops. She was unable to grab it second time with her right hand. CLOSE!

SA-W: 185/3 (35.3)

Alice Capsey to continue after the drinks break! Conceded six in her first over. South Africa have done well to bounce back after losing three quick wickets. 15 overs to go after this.

SA-W: 173/3 (34)

What a shot! Floated up into the slot just outside leg, and Kapp charges down the track. Smokes it over long-on for a six. This is turning out to be a great partnership between Kapp and Wolvaardt, who is nearing a century.

SA-W: 168/3 (33.1)

Laura Wolvaardt is playing a blinder of a knock for South Africa. Captain leading from the front! She moves to 74 with this boundary. Welcomes back Charlie Dean with a beautifully driven shot between extra cover and long off!

SA-W: 145/3 (29.2)

Nat Sciver-Brunt strikes! SA have now lost three wickets in the space of three runs. It was cross-seam bowl and Sune Luus has chopped on. England are chipping through the middle-order. However, Wolvaardt continues to frustrate them.

Sune Luus b Nat Sciver-Brunt 1 (6)

SA-W: 119/3 (25.3)

Two wickets in four balls for Ecclestone! Off-stump flattened. Anneke Bosch has got to walk back for a duck and England are back in the mix. Bosch came down the track and it seems like Ecclestoe pre-empted it. Rattles the off-stump 

Anneke Bosch b Ecclestone 0 (3)

SA-W: 116/2 (22.5)

Wicket at last! Sopie Ecclestone strikes for England and Brits has to walk back. Chopped-on and she has repaid the trust of Sciver-Brunt. Brits misses out on her half-century.

Tazmin Brits b Ecclestone 45 (65)
SA-W: 116/1 (22.2)

First six of the innings and it comes from the bat of Tazmin Brits! Shimmies down the track and slaps it flat over wide long-on. She moves into the 40s with that hit. Too much flight on that from Ecclestone and she pays the price.

SA-W: 110/0 (20.3)

Britz plays this fine! A well-directed paddle sweep. That also brings up the 100-run stand between Brits and Wolvaardt. No luck for England so far as their search for a breakthrough continues. Excellent from the Proteas

SA-W: 101/0 (19)

50 up for Laura Wolvaardt! Another milestone for the South African skipper after she crossed the mark of 5,000 ODI runs few overs back. She has been a calming influence for his team so far in the tournament.

SA-W: 83/0 (16.2)

That's much better from Brits! Charges down the track and slams it over mid-off for a boundary. Not looking good for England at the moment.

SA-W: 72/0 (13.4)

Charlie Dean starts off with just one run! Tazmin Brits has looked a bit scratchy and Dean cramped her for room with deliveries in the line of the fourth stump. She has been the weak link, but England have not been able to exploit that so far.

SA-W: 62/0 (12)

Wolvaardt is batting a dream! 50 partnership up between her and Brits, just their second of the tournament. Sciver-Brunt has decided to persist with her spinner. Too much width again and she makes Smith pay.

SA-W: 53/0 (9.2)

The South African opening pair of Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits have certainly given the Proteas a fantastic start, putting the pressure back on the English bowlers with their 43/0 after 8 overs. A wicketless Powerplay for South Africa is a great result. Nat Sciver-Brunt has decided to take the matter in her own hands as England look to strike against the Proteas

You don't bowl there to Brits! Brutally slammed through the covers region and Brits is into double digits. Not a great start from the England bowlers so far. Bell has bowled too short and too wide so far.

SA-W: 27/0 (4.4)

There's unfortunately barely a soul in Guwahati. Hopefully, as the match progresses, the visibility and fan excitement will increase. Matches not featuring India have often seen low turnouts so far in this tournament.

Another excellent shot from Wolvaardt! Linsey Smith fires it too wide off the stumps, and Wolvaardt pounces. She slaps it through covers for a boundary. Great start for the Proteas.

SA-W: 14/0 (1.5) 

Wolvaardt starts off with a boundary. Excellent cover drive. Long half-volley, eased through the covers. Always a positive when you hit the first ball for a four.

SA-W: 4/0 (0.1)

Done with the national anthems. England players are lining up in a huddle with captain Nat Sciver-Brunt giving a pre-match peptalk. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits are also out in the middle. Lauren Bell will bowl the first over

South Africa just haven't had coin tosses going their way this tournament. The semifinal 1 was the fifth consecutive toss loss in the quadrennial event for the Proteas women. It also has to be noted that South Africa were beaten by England in both of the most recent ODI World Cup semifinals -- in 2017 and 2022.

South Africa Women Playing XI: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta(w), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

England Women Playing XI: Amy Jones(w), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt(c), Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell

Laura Wolvaardt: We were looking to bowl first as well. We are playing an extra batter today. Bosch comes in for Klaas. Hopefully we can bat first really well today. At the end of the day, it is all about winning.

Nat Sciver-Brunt: We would like to bowl first, putting them under pressure with the ball first and then chase it under lights. We got the same team. She will be playing through a little bit of pain, but she will be raring to go. Trust the process and trust everything you have done and enjoy the occasion.

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt has won the toss and opted to bowl against South Africa in Women's World Cup semifinal 1.

We aren't far away from the toss. Win the toss and bowl first should be the strategy here. 

Wondering how to watch the first semi-final live? The England vs South Africa Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 semifinal will be aired live on the Star Sports Network. 

An important stat which is to be considered before the start of the match is that 41 of the 63 wickets in this World Cup have fallen to spin in Guwahati. England and South Africa surely have to keep this in mind while drafting their respective teams. 

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the first semifinal between England and South Africa in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025. There remains a big concern over England star Sophie Ecclestone's participation. She had injured her left shoulder, while fielding, in Vizag and ended up bowling only 4 balls in the last game. It would be interesting to see if she is named in the XI today.