Nadine de Klerk hit a blistering unbeaten 84 from 54 balls as South Africa produced a stunning comeback to beat co-hosts India by three wickets at the Women’s World Cup.
Having slipped to 81-5 in reply to India’s 251 all out, the Proteas looked destined for a second defeat in three games before De Klerk’s intervention.
The all-rounder dismantled an increasingly bewildered India attack, launching five sixes on her way to her highest international score – the fifth of those blows sealing the win with seven balls to spare.
Captain Laura Wolvaardt started the South Africa recovery, hitting a patient 70 from 111 balls, with her 61-run stand alongside Chloe Tryon laying the foundations for De Klerk’s late onslaught.
Tryon, who made 49 from 66, put on another 69 with De Klerk in quick time before the latter saw the job through to leave India fans and players alike wondering how the game had got away from them.
For much of the second innings, it was India who would have expected to be talking about battling back to claim victory after wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh had bludgeoned 94 from 77 to rescue them from 102-6.
However, even her remarkable innings was not enough thanks to the clean hitting of De Klerk.
The result means South Africa go level on points with India, who miss the chance to go top of the table as Harmanpreet Kaur’s side suffer their first defeat of the tournament.