England, Oct 30 : England captain Nat Sciver Brunt acknowledged that her team fell short in all departments after being outclassed by South Africa in the semifinal of the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday.
South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt’s stunning 169 run masterclass and Marizanne Kapp’s five wicket haul, sealed a historic 125-run victory to enter their first ever Women’s World Cup final. England, chasing 320, were bundled out for 194 in 42.3 overs.
“What an incredible two innings from South Africa. We weren’t at our best today, and to beat the best teams, you have to be. You have to put a whole game together, and we didn’t do that today,” said Sciver Brunt after the match. “I’m hugely disappointed. It’ll take some time to sink in.”
Despite the lopsided scoreline, Sciver Brunt said England felt in control during parts of the first innings. “During the Powerplay and afterwards, we didn’t let the game get away from us. We were happy with our control and knew that a wicket or two could shift the momentum but they kept building partnerships,” she explained.
She credited Wolvaardt’s record breaking knock for taking the game away from England. “She made the most of the conditions and played an incredible innings. With explosive batters coming in later, it became very difficult for us.”
England’s batting lineup crumbled early under the pressure of Kapp’s fiery spell, as they slumped to 1-3. Sciver Brunt, who top scored with 64, admitted the early collapse proved costly. “Obviously, Kappy bowled some brilliant deliveries. Losing three quick wickets made it tough from the start. Capsey and I tried to rebuild, and we were up with their scoring rate for a while, but we needed to sustain it much longer.”
Looking ahead, Sciver Brunt remained hopeful as England prepare for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil. “We’ve come a long way and learnt a lot as a team. This defeat hurts, but it’s part of the journey. To beat the best, you have to be at your best, and we’ll come back stronger next time.