South Africa Vs Sri Lanka Highlights, Women's ODI World Cup 2025: Wolvaardt, Brits Hit 50, SA-W Cruise To 10-Wicket Win

Hello, we’re back with another live blog, and it’s South Africa vs Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s World Cup. Stay tuned for live updates!

There are high chances of rain interruptions today as well. Expect scattered thunderstorms with 65% chances of rain.

Chamari Athapaththu has won the toss in Colombo. South Africa will bowl first.

Sri-Lanka playing XI: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Piumi Wathsala Badalge, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera

South Africa playing XI: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Karabo Meso(w), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba

The pitch looks hard and has been dried well. Seamers are most likely to enjoy bowling on this surface. Sri-Lanka batters need to be cautious with their decision making.

We are underway in Colombo. Marizanne Kapp bowls the first ball to Vishmi Gunaratne, who flicks it for a single. Let's hope this match doesn't get washed out like the previous ones at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

Vishmi Gunaratne drives one for four. Despite so much rain, the outfield seems lightning fast as Gunaratne scores Sri Lanka's first boundary.

Masabata Klaas is really taking full advantage of the conditions on offer. She has bowled some exceptional deliveries in her 2nd over.

Vishmi Gunaratne gets hit by the ball while completing a single in the non-striker's end and she is looking in a lot of pain.

Worrying scenes for Sri-Lanka as Vishmi Gunaratne has been taken off the field. Hasini Perera comes on.

The aggressive Chamari Athapaththu is off the mark. She has been playing with a lot of caution, but at last releases the surmounting pressure with a boundary off Marizanne Kapp's short delivery.

South Africa have the first wicket! Masabata Klaas bowls an excellent delivery to remove Hasini Perera. Klaas kept it straight and Perera closed her bat way too early. Sri-Lanka are 30/1 after 7.2 overs.

Masabata Klaas strikes again! The right-arm seamer removes Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu with a LBW. Umpire raises the finger, Athapaththu challenges the decision, but the decision remains. Sri-Lanka in a bit of trouble now.

Frustrating scenes in Colombo as rain stops the play. The ground staff are darting in with the covers and it's not a sight Sri Lanka want to see in a must win game.

Quick recap. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in Colombo. South Africa started off nicely with the ball as Marizanne Kapp and Masabata Klaas took full advantage of the conditions. The Lankans looked steady early on but were dealt with an early blow when Vishmi Gunaratne got hit with the ball while completing a run and was stretched off the field. Proteas seamer Klaas then took the wickets of Harshita Perera (4 off 7) and Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu (11 off 25), thanks to two outstanding deliveries. Stay tuned with us for all the updates.

The rain is still on in Colombo. Stay tuned for all the latest updates.

Nothing positive to update from Colombo. It's still raining and we have started to lose overs now. This has been the story so far of this World Cup.

Australia, who have been unbeaten in this World Cup, became the first team to qualify for the semi-final after their dominating 10-wicket win over Bangladesh at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, October 16.

If India win all three matches

The simplest route to the semifinals is for India to defeat England, New Zealand, and Bangladesh. That would take them to five wins and 10 points, more than enough to secure qualification without relying on other results. Of course, pulling off three consecutive wins is easier said than done.

If India win two and lose one

Even if India drop one of their remaining matches, qualification remains within reach, provided they beat New Zealand next week. In that case, two wins should be sufficient to see them through without depending on Net Run Rate (NRR). A loss to England this Sunday wouldn’t end their campaign, as long as they overcome the Black Ferns. However, if New Zealand once again get the better of India, as they did in last year’s T20 World Cup, India’s path to the semifinals becomes far more complicated.

If India win one and lose two

Should India lose to both England and New Zealand, they would still be mathematically in contention, but their hopes would hang by a thread. They’d have to rely on other results, specifically, Pakistan beating New Zealand and England also overcoming the Kiwis, to stay alive in the tournament.

The rain continues to come down and if it carries on like this, there are possible chances of another washout. Even if stops now, there will be considerable amount of time taken to remove the sheets and dry out whatever water seeps through the sheets.

The team management confirmed that Vishmi Gunaratne has not sustained any serious injury following medical assessments. She is currently receiving treatment and will return to bat once play resumes.

No positives signs from Colombo. it's still raining steadily and that's been the case for more than two hours now.

It may seem to be repeating, but it is still raining heavily in Colombo and the chances of a resumption, as things stand, look grim. No movement whatsoever from the ground staff.

As of the latest matches, the leading run-scorer in the tournament is Alyssa Healy from Australia, with a total of 294 runs in just 4 matches at a magnificent average of 98.00. Her consistent performances have been pivotal in Australia's strong showing in the tournament so far and that's the most threatening thing for their opponents as well.

Annabel Sutherland has been nothing short of sensational in this Women’s World Cup. The young Australian all-rounder continues to terrorize batters with her sharp pace and clever variations. She has taken 12 wickets in just 4 matches.

Will the first semi-final be held in Sri Lanka regardless of whether Pakistan qualifies? If so, the lower-ranked team in that clash could be at a major disadvantage, given how unpredictable the weather is. It could resemble the 2020 Women’s T20 semi-finals, where South Africa were knocked out and India advanced to the final after a rain-abandoned match, thanks to finishing higher in the earlier stage.

Actually, if Pakistan fails to qualify, that semi-final will be shifted to Guwahati.

The Sri Lankan and South African captains are currently in discussion with the umpires as the covers are being slowly dragged off the field. It looks like we’re finally set to get some cricket, fingers crossed! Thankfully, the rain has stopped, and the umpires have briefed both skippers on the possible playing conditions. Now, the key question is how fast the ground staff can clear the covers and get the outfield and pitch ready for action.

Finally, good news from Colombo after a long time. The rain has stopped and almost all the covers have been removed. We should get an update in few minutes now.

The umpires are currently in discussion with the two captains, going over the match details. Each captain has been handed a small placard outlining the official playing conditions, ensuring everyone is on the same page. And now we have an official update, the match is set to restart at 21:10 local time, and it will be a 20-overs-per-side contest.

The players are getting ready as the contest is set to resume. Big credit goes to the groundsmen for making the surface playable this quick.

South Africa strikes immediately after the break! Kavisha Dilhari was looking dangerous and trying to attack through the off-side, but she misjudged a length delivery. She went for a punch shot, only to find Wolvaardt at cover. The fielder juggled it briefly but held on to complete a fine catch.

Kavisha Dilhari departs for 14 off 13 balls.

Score after 14 overs

SL-W 63-3

Back-to-back wickets for South Africa. Harshitha Madavi tried to pull a short delivery but ended up getting a top-edge. The ball ballooned into the air, and Wolvaardt read it perfectly, diving to take a spectacular catch at mid-wicket.

Harshitha Madavi walks back after scoring 13 off 24 balls

Score after 15 overs

SL-W 71-4

Nilakshi de Silva is struggling to accelerate, scoring 15 off 11 balls, while Vishmi Gunaratne is holding one end with 31 off 28. South Africa’s bowlers, led by Mlaba and de Klerk, are keeping tight lines and lengths, not allowing the batters to settle.

Score after 18 overs

SL-W 98-4

South Africa get another wicket. Nilakshi de Silva tried to dance down the pitch and slog it over the leg side, but mistimed it. The ball went straight into the hands of Bosch stationed in the deep, and that’s another big wicket for South Africa. Nilakshi de Silva departs for 18 off 17 ball.

Score after 19.3 overs

SLW 103-5

Sri Lanka Women suffer another blow just before the end of the over. They managed to sneak 1 run, but in the process, Anushka Sanjeewani is run out. Vishmi Gunaratne retains the strike, but the pressure keeps mounting as wickets tumble around her.

Score after 19.5 overs

SLW 105-6

And that’s the end of the Sri Lanka innings! Vishmi Gunaratne tried to back away and play a cut shot, but only managed an edge to the keeper, who took a sharp catch. Sri Lanka Women finish on 105 all out, adding 59 runs in the final 8 overs after the break, but falling short of mounting any real threat.

Mlaba wraps up a brilliant spell, claiming two key wickets in the final over, and South Africa’s dominance is complete.

Score after 20 overs

SLW 105-7

The DLS target for South Africa is 119 runs in a 20-over-a-side contest.

After nearly a 5-hour rain break, the players were finally back on the field. Sri Lanka Women started aggressively post-resumption, sending the very first delivery flying for a sixer, showing intent to chase the game. However, South Africa quickly regained control, applying tight lines and lengths to slow down the scoring rate.

Hello! We are back after a break as South Africa start their chase. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits are at the crease. Wolvaardt is on strike. Sugandika Kumari will open the attack.

A steady start for the South African openers as they navigate the DLS target of 119 in this 20-over game. The batters are rotating the strike well, keeping the scoreboard ticking, but no big shots yet as they settle into the innings. With wickets intact, SA will look to build a solid foundation before accelerating in the middle overs.

Score after 2 overs

SA-W 13-0

The chase is progressing steadily. Tazmin Brits is scoring 16 off 14 balls, while Laura Wolvaardt is looking solid with 20 off 16. The openers are rotating the strike well and keeping the scoreboard ticking, building a platform for a strong finish.

Score after 5 overs

SA-W 38-0

Laura Wolvaardt is looking fluent with 35 off 28, while Tazmin Brits is steady on 20 off 20. Sri Lanka Women desperately need a breakthrough here to stop the partnership from taking control.

Score after 8 overs

SA-W 57-0

The openers are making it look effortless! Laura Wolvaardt (40 off 35) is timing the ball beautifully, while Tazmin Brits (30 off 31) is growing in confidence. The partnership is now looking ominous for Sri Lanka, they’ve thrown everything at the duo, but nothing seems to work.

Score after 11 overs

SA-W 73-0

Laura Wolvaardt brings up a classy fifty, timing the ball to perfection, while Tazmin Brits is matching her partner shot for shot. The Sri Lankan bowlers look completely out of ideas as boundaries keep flowing at regular intervals.

Score after 13 overs

SA-W 96-0

SIX! What a finish! Tazmin Brits seals the deal in style, sends it soaring over long-on for a maximum! South Africa cruise home by 10 wickets, and Brits brings up her third ODI fifty with that glorious hit. Total domination from the Proteas openers.

Score after 14.5 overs

SA-W 125/0

South Africa dominated from start to finish despite the rain interruptions. After a long delay, Sri Lanka managed just 105/7 in their 20 overs. Chasing a DLS target of 121, the Proteas openers made light work of it. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt led the charge with a fluent fifty, while Tazmin Brits supported brilliantly and sealed the win with a six. South Africa won by 10 wickets, moved to second on the table, and took a big step toward the semifinals.

Most century stands for the opening wicket in Women’s ODIs

10 - Belinda Clark, Lisa Keightley (AUS-W)
7 - Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W)
7 - Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (AUS-W)
7 - Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W)

Highest partnerships aggregates in a calendar year in Women’s ODIs

1332 - Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal (IND-W) in 2025

967 - Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W) in 2025

905 - Belinda Clark, Lisa Keightley (AUS-W) in 2000

834 - Suzie Bates, Rachel Priest (NZ-W) in 2015

775 - Rachael Haynes, Alyssa Healy (AUS-W) in 2022

South Africa have all but booked their place in the semifinals with this emphatic win and that massive boost to their NRR will surely please them. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have plenty to think about. Two games remain, and they’ll need to win both to stay in contention. That’s it from this rain-hit but entertaining contest. We’ll be back tomorrow with more World Cup action. Until then, take care and goodbye.