Bangladesh fought hard through the game, but missed chances under pressure as de Klerk sealed another chase.
South Africa secured a dramatic three-wicket victory over a determined Bangladesh, with Nadine de Klerk sealing the win in a thrilling finish. De Klerk`s unbeaten 37 off 29 balls, aided by crucial late luck, allowed South Africa to chase down 233 with three balls to spare in Visakhapatnam.
The win echoed their previous triumph over India on the same ground, though this victory was far less assured. Facing a strong Bangladeshi attack led by Nahida Akter and Ritu Moni, Chloe Tryon played a pivotal innings of 62 from 69 balls, supported by Marizanne Kapp`s hard-fought fifty. However, the turning point came from Bangladesh`s faltering fielding under pressure, as several critical chances were missed in the tense final overs.
The most significant dropped catch occurred with just ten runs needed from eight balls. De Klerk mis-hit a drive off Rabeya Khan towards long-off, where 18-year-old Shorna Akter, fresh from her own impressive batting performance, dropped what seemed like a straightforward catch. With eight runs still required in the final over, de Klerk capitalised, hitting a boundary and a match-winning six within three balls.
Bangladesh`s Innings: A Tale of Two Halves
Bangladesh was left devastated. After winning the toss in overcast conditions, captain Nigar Sultana bravely chose to bat first, aiming to give her bowlers a defendable total. This decision paid off, though not in the way many anticipated. South Africa`s bowlers struggled to create clear chances, with all of Bangladesh`s top four batters reaching at least 25. Sharmin Akhter anchored the innings with a solid 50 off 77 balls. For the first 30 overs, Bangladesh batted cautiously, conceding 126 dot balls, demonstrating a safety-first approach.
Gradually, Bangladesh turned the tide. With Nigar dismissed at 150 for 3 and 9.5 overs remaining, Shorna Akter entered the crease and launched a remarkable assault. Shorna smashed three fours and three sixes, all over long-on, en route to a 34-ball fifty – the fastest by a Bangladeshi woman in ODIs. Her aggressive hitting, a stark contrast to the earlier defensive play, was complemented by Ritu Moni, who scored a rapid 19 not out from eight balls, including three fours off Kapp. This late surge saw Bangladesh add 37 runs in the last three overs, setting a challenging target of 233.
South Africa`s Challenging Chase and Heroic Recovery
South Africa had likely hoped for a smaller target. Their chase began poorly when Tazmin Brits, despite five ODI centuries in 2025, registered her second consecutive duck, caught and bowled by Nahida Akter. Laura Wolvaardt, on 11, was then given a reprieve when Rabeya Khan dropped a similar caught-and-bowled chance. Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch recovered with a 55-run partnership, bringing the chase under control.
However, disaster struck. Wolvaardt (30) was run out after a miscommunication with Bosch. One ball later, Bosch herself was dismissed for 28, caught by Sobhana Mostary. At 62 for 3, South Africa needed a significant rebuild. The situation worsened as Annerie Dercksen was bowled by Rabeya Khan`s “ball of the match,” a perfect leg-break that clipped the off stump. Four overs later, Sinalo Jafta also lost her off stump to Fahima Khatun`s topspinner, leaving South Africa in tatters at 78 for 5, having lost 4 wickets for just 20 runs in 44 balls. Kapp, on 15, also survived a tough caught-behind chance.
Marufa Akter`s return to the attack in the 27th over provided some relief, as Tryon capitalized on the extra pace with two cuts through point, ending a 43-ball boundary drought. Despite Bangladesh quickly reverting to spin, this over loosened the shackles. Kapp`s subsequent sweep for four brought up a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Tryon from 62 balls.
As dew started to become a factor, Kapp clubbed a rare full-toss from Shorna for the innings` first six, bringing up her 67-ball fifty. With 71 runs still required from ten overs, Kapp (56) mistimed a drive off Nahida and was caught by Shorna at long-off. Bangladesh celebrated wildly.
However, Nadine de Klerk announced her arrival with a flawless second-ball sweep for four. Tryon then aggressively steered the match back in South Africa`s favour, though with a dose of luck. On 40, an under-edge off Moni raced for four, and on 46, a slog-sweep to deep mid-wicket was dropped by substitute Sumaiya Akter. Tryon capitalized with a huge leg-side six, making it 16 runs in the over. But Bangladesh fought back again, as Moni`s sharp throw from backward point ran Tryon out for 62.
With the required run-rate climbing, Masabata Klaas scrambled a single, bringing up the 200. De Klerk then moved across her stumps to hoist a crucial boundary through backward square. Fahima Khatun’s untimely front-foot no-ball gifted de Klerk a free hit, which she lifted over the covers. Despite remaining anxieties, including a top-edged full-toss, de Klerk received the decisive let-off when Shorna Akter dropped her for the second time. This missed opportunity sealed Bangladesh`s fate and propelled South Africa to their third consecutive victory, firmly planting one foot in the semi-final standings.
