Captain Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits made batting look easy under overcast skies as South Africa Women stormed to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in a rain-interrupted ICC Women’s World Cup fixture at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.
Wolvaardt And Brits Unstoppable In Chase
Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 121, the pair produced a flawless unbeaten stand of 125, guiding the Proteas home in just 14.5 overs.
Wolvaardt, elegant and composed as ever, anchored the chase with 60 not out, while Brits provided the early charge with a fluent 55 off 50 balls, hitting four boundaries and two sixes.
Their contrasting styles — Wolvaardt’s timing and placement paired with Brits’ clean striking — left Sri Lanka searching for answers.
It was frustrating sitting out for four or five hours, but I’m happy we got the game in and took the two points. We just treated it like a T20 — stayed positive and tried to get ahead early. The ball was like a bar of soap when we bowled, but it came on nicely when we batted.
Rain, Resistance, And Protea Precision
Earlier, Sri Lanka posted 105 for 7 in 20 overs after persistent rain reduced the contest. Vishmi Gunaratne (34) gave the hosts a steady start before retiring hurt, while Nilakshi de Silva (18) and Kavisha Dilhari (14) added crucial late runs.
South Africa’s spinners took control in the middle overs, with Nonkululeko Mlaba (3/30) and Masabata Klaas (2/18) keeping the pressure on and limiting Sri Lanka’s acceleration.
Our usual death bowlers were done, so we had to turn to spin at the end — and they did really well.
Proteas Surge To Second, Sri Lanka Slide Down
The victory marked South Africa’s fourth straight win after their opening defeat to England, lifting them to second place with eight points, just behind leaders Australia (9 points).
For Sri Lanka, the rain gods have been unkind — this was their third rain-affected match — leaving them in seventh place with two points and needing a turnaround in their final fixtures.
We can’t control the weather, but it’s been frustrating. The ball was too wet to grip, and we struggled. Still, we’ll keep playing positive, fearless cricket in the next games.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka: 105/7 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 34, Nilakshi de Silva 18; Nonkululeko Mlaba 3-30, Masabata Klaas 2-18) South Africa: 125/0 in 14.5 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 60*, Tazmin Brits 55*). Result: South Africa won by 10 wickets
