Women Proteas Seal Semi-Final Spot with Dominant Win over Sri Lanka

Karen Scheepers
4 hours ago
2 min read

The South Africa Women’s cricket team delivered a statement performance at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Friday, the 17th of October 2025, as they crushed hosts Sri Lanka Women’s cricket team by 10 wickets (DLS method) to move into the knockout race of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Sri Lanka’s innings was curtailed by rain and reduced to 20 overs, in which they managed only 105/7, before Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits guided South Africa to victory without losing a wicket, the chase completed in just 14.5 overs.

Sri Lanka’s Rain-Affected Innings

Sri Lanka opted to bat after winning the toss, but persistent rain delayed play for over five hours and forced the match into a 20-over per side format. Key early wickets from South Africa’s bowlers, notably Nonkululeko Mlaba who claimed three wickets, restricted Sri Lanka to a modest total. Sri Lankan batter Vishmi Gunaratne top-scored with 34 (33) but the hosts could not mount a meaningful fight.

Commanding Chase from the Proteas

Chasing a revised target of 121, the South African openers set the tone early. Captain Laura Wolvaardt made 60* (47), while Tazmin Brits backed her up with 55* (42), stitching together an unbroken partnership of 125 runs and guiding the team home with 31 balls to spare. Their aggressive yet controlled approach crushed any momentum Sri Lanka might have hoped for and showcased the depth and composure in the Proteas’ squad.

Semi-Finals in Sight

This win marks the Proteas’ fourth straight victory in the tournament and moves them into an automatic semi-final qualification position. With the win, South Africa rise into second place on the standings, trailing only Australia and positioning themselves favourably as the group stage nears its conclusion. As one of the first sides to make a major move towards the knockout rounds, the Proteas now carry momentum and belief into their remaining fixtures.