In pursuit of the 299-run target in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup (CWC) 2025 final, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt made history by becoming the highest run-scorer in the single edition of the tournament.
Against India, the 26-year-old batted exceptionally in the early stages of the South Africa innings, finding boundaries at regular intervals while her opening partner Tazmin Brits tried to settle in at the crease, sharing a 51-run opening stand.
Laura Wolvaardt kept the momentum going in the chase after the run out of Tazmin Brits (23 off 35) and early dismissal of Anneke Bosch, who didn’t trouble the scorers. In at No. 4, Sune Luus shared a 52-run stand for the third wicket with the South Africa captain, to bring the team back into the contest before losing her wicket to Shafali Verma against the run of play for 25 off 31 with four fours to her name.
During this phase, Wolvaardt etched her name in the history books by becoming the highest run-scorer in the single edition of a Women’s Cricket World Cup apart from getting to her fifty in 45 balls. Moreover, in her second over, Shafali Verma got the prized scalp of all-rounder Marizanne Kapp for just four runs, to reduce South Africa to 123-4 in the 23rd over of their innings.
Most runs in a single World Cup edition:
510* - Laura Wolvaardt in 2025
509 - Alyssa Healy in 2022
497 - Rachael Haynes in 2022
456 - Debbie Hockley in 1997
448 - Lindsay Reeler in 1988
Below are the playing XIs of India and South Africa for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 final:
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
