The stage is set and the stakes are high as the Women’s World Cup heads into its final league clash. While the semifinalists have already been decided, Saturday’s showdown at the Holkar Stadium in Indore promises fireworks. South Africa and Australia are playing their horns not just for pride but to claim the coveted top spot – while India, who secured fourth place with a 53-run DLS win over New Zealand, are watching and ready to find out who they face next.
Australia, the defending champions, carry an aura of invincibility. Their last defeat in the ODI World Cup came eight years ago when Harmanpreet Kaur’s stunning 171 in Derby knocked them out of the semi-finals. They have been untouchable since then, winning 14 of their last 15 matches, with only one rain-ravaged clash against Sri Lanka marring the perfect record.
The South African trip was nothing less than a movie. A horror start saw him bowl out for just 69 in a 10-wicket loss to England, but a masterclass in resilience followed. After five consecutive wins, the Proteas have thrown themselves back into contention, determined to finish top of the table and announce that they are real contenders.
History favors Australia: they have triumphed in 16 of 18 ODI encounters with South Africa, their only blips being a defeat in North Sydney last year and a draw in 2016 in Coffs Harbour.
However, form is fickle and South Africa’s five-match winning streak gives them a real chance of an upset. On Saturday, it’s more than just a game – it’s a clash of tradition and dynamism, dominance versus determination.
COULD SOUTH AFRICA CREATE THE MAGIC AGAIN?
South Africa can certainly harbor dreams of ending Australia’s remarkable World Cup run. They did exactly that in the T20 version of the game last yearhalted Australia’s 15-match winning streak and eventually finished second.
On that memorable day, Anneke Bosch smashed an unbeaten 74 off 48 balls to guide the Proteas to chase down 135 with 16 balls to spare.
Bosch hasn’t quite found the same rhythm in this ODI World Cup, scoring just 35 runs in four matches and missing several matches due to inconsistent form. But if she takes the field against Australia, her presence will serve as a warning.
The T20 World Cup triumph was very unexpected – Australia were on the path to the dream even without Alyssa Healy and were heavy favorites to win. However, South Africa had other ideas and the memory of Bosch’s heroics still lingers.
Whether the Proteas can repeat that spell in the 50-over format remains one of the most compelling storylines heading into Saturday’s encounter.
AUSTRALIA WILL NOT HOLD THE PROTEAS
Australia will not take South Africa lightly, all-rounder Tahlia McGrath admits the threat the Proteas could pose in the upcoming clash.
McGrath came on for Alyssa Healy in the match against England after Healy missed the match with a minor calf injury sustained in training.
“South Africa are a very dangerous side and we’ve seen a lot of that in this tournament. We have a good record against them but there’s still a lot to play for in this World Cup,” McGrath told a pre-match press conference.
“We want to take this momentum into the finals and we also want to finish in first place. So there’s still a lot to play for and it’s going to be a really tough game,” McGrath added.
South Africa may not have a stellar record against the Southern Stars, with wins across formats rare. Still, confidence is high – they know they have the firepower to cause an upset. Meanwhile, for India, the semi-final promises to be a revenge-driven clash, with both South Africa and Australia handing them defeats earlier in the tournament.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
October 25, 2025
Tune in
