NZ-W Vs RSA-W, ICC Women's World Cup: Kapp Takes First-Ball Bates Wicket, Repeats History

South Africa's Marizanne Kapp trapped New Zealand opener Suzie Bates in front for an LBW off the very first ball of their ICC Women's World Cup 2025 match at Holkar Stadium, Indore, on Monday (October 6). This marked only the second time in the tournament's history that such an event had occurred.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine won the toss and opted to bat first. But the White Ferns got off to a horror start as Bates got beaten by a good length delivery. Playing a historic 350th international match, the 38-year-old from Dunedin reviewed, but the ball-tracking showed it hitting the leg stump.

The first instance of a batter getting out in the first ball of a Women's ODI World Cup match was during the 2022 edition in Christchurch: England's Katherine Sciver-Brunt had Pakistan's Nahida Khan caught by Heather Knight for a golden duck.

Pakistan were eventually dismissed for 105 all out, and England cantered to a nine-wicket win with 184 balls to spare. Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who scored 76 off 68 balls, was adjudged the Player of the Match.

New Zealand Women Vs South Africa Women: A Landmark Match

New Zealand's Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine reached landmark milestones during the match. Bates became the first woman cricketer to play 350 international games, while Devine marked her 300th appearance — the seventh woman to do so, following Bates, Harmanpreet Kaur (342), Ellyse Perry (341), Mithali Raj (333), Charlotte Edwards (309), and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (300).

Bates made her ODI debut on March 4, 2006, against India at the age of 19, while Devine stepped onto the international stage a few months later, on October 22, against Australia, just 17.

The duo has long been the backbone of New Zealand women's cricket. In addition to amassing runs, both all-rounders have contributed significantly with the ball.

Bates entered the match as the third-highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs, with 5896 runs in 172 matches at an average of 39.57. The right-hander has registered 13 centuries and 37 fifties, along with 81 wickets.

In T20Is, she has played 177 matches, scoring 4716 runs at an average of 29.11, including one century, and has taken 60 wickets. Despite nearly two decades in international cricket and appearances in 14 World Cups across formats, she is yet to play a Test match.

Devine, aged 36, came into the match with 4102 ODI runs at an average of 32.29, including nine centuries and 16 fifties. In T20Is, she has scored 3431 runs in 146 matches at 28.12, with one century to her name. She has taken 107 wickets in ODIs and 119 in T20Is. Like Bates, she is yet to feature in a Test.