Australia v South Africa, World Cup: All you need to know

Match details

Who: Australia v South Africa

What: ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, Match 26

When: October 25, 2025, 8:30pm AEDT first ball

Where: Holkar Stadium, Indore

Officials: Nimali Perera, Kim Cotton (on field), Sarah Dambanevana (TV umpire), Jacquline Williams (fourth), Trudy Anderson (referee)

News and reactions post-play: cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

What’s at stake

The winner of the top-of-the-table clash will finish the round stage in first position and fly to Mumbai to meet India, who have locked in fourth spot, in a semi-final at DY Patil Stadium on October 30.

The other team will finish either second of third – pending the outcome of England’s final game against New Zealand on Sunday – but either way, they will head to Guwahati, where they’ll play England in the other semi-final on October 29.

The squads

Australia: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Captain Alyssa Healy is in doubt for the match after sustaining a minor calf strain. Healy missed the game against England and her recovery is said to be a ‘day-by-day process’.

Australia were dealt a blow ahead of the tournament when X-factor allrounder Grace Harris was ruled out after suffering a calf strain in the third ODI against India. The Queenslander has been replaced by WA allrounder Heather Graham.

Sophie Molineux, meanwhile, made her international return after being included in Australia’s squad for their World Cup defence. Until Australia’s World Cup opener, Molineux hadn’t played an official game since knee surgery in January.

Five players were included in Australia’s 50-over World Cup squad for the first time, with Molineux joined by Georgia Wareham, Kim Garth, Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll.

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Karabo Meso, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Chloe Tryon. Travelling reserve: Miane Smit

Dane van Niekerk’s hopes of returning to the international stage have to wait, with the former Proteas captain overlooked in their 15-player World Cup squad.

Van Niekerk, who reversed her decision to retire from international cricket last month, was part of a pre-tournament training camp but South Australia have elected to stick to a familiar formula as they look to better their semi-final appearances at the last two 50-over World Cups.

Laura Wolvaardt is leading her team at an ODI World Cup for the first time, leading an experienced group that includes the likes of Chloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka and Sune Luus.

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Broadcast details

Cricket fans in Australia can watch the ongoing ICC Women’s ODI World Cup for free, with broadcaster Prime Video putting the tournament in front of its paywall.

All 31 matches of the eight-team event in India and Sri Lanka are available live, exclusive and free via Prime Video, and viewers will only be required to sign into a free Amazon account.

Australia will be aiming to win an unprecedented eighth 50-over World Cup title, and become the first women’s team to claim consecutive titles since 1988.

Click here to watch the tournament on Prime Video

Possible line-ups and team news

Australia: Georgia Voll, Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney (wk), Annabel Sutherland, Ashleigh Gardner, Tahlia McGrath (c), Georgia Wareham, Alana King, Kim Garth, Megan Schutt

Australia are sweating on the fitness of Alyssa Healy, who was ruled out of the match against England with a minor calf strain. Her recovery is said to be a ‘day-by-day process’ – however, given Australia have locked in semi-finals already, it seems unlikely they would risk their skipper against the Proteas.

Australia made three changes for their six-wicket win over England, with Sophie Molineux replacing Georgia Wareham, Georgia Voll coming in for Healy and Kim Garth back in place of Darcie Brown.

Given Molineux’s loads are being carefully managed throughout her comeback from knee surgery, she may sit out again ahead of the semi-finals.

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Karaba Meso (wk), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Nondumiso Shangase, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba

The Proteas have rotated their bowling attack throughout the tournament depending on the conditions and opposition, so that’s likely to continue against Australia.

Karaba Meso was brought into the XI for the last two games in place of fellow ‘keeper Sinalo Jafta, while they’ll weigh up the make-up of the bowling attack, with Masabata Klaas a chance to come back into the side in place of Ayabonga Khaka.

Anneke Bosch, the match-winner who broke Australian hearts in last year’s T20 World Cup final, has missed the last two games after being left out in place of exciting allrounder Annerie Dercksen.

Things you want to know about the Aussie cricket team

Local knowledgeHead-to-head ODI stats

Overall: Australia 18 wins, South Africa 1 win, 1 tie

In India: Australia 2 wins, South Africa 0 wins

In ODI World Cups: Australia 8 wins, South Africa 0 wins

Past 10 years: Australia 10 wins, South Africa 1 win, 1 tie

Most runs (overall): Meg Lanning 424, Ellyse Perry 424, Marizanne Kapp 347, Karen Rolton 301, Nicole Bolton 298

Most runs (in ODI World Cups): Karen Rolton 251, Belinda Clark 232, Lisa Keightley 194, Laura Wolvaart 161, Trisha Chetty 154

Most wickets (overall): Sune Luus 15, Ellyse Perry 13, Cathryn Fitzpatrick 12, Charmaine Mason 11, Jess Jonassen 9

Most wickets (in ODI World Cups): Charmaine Mason 8, Cathryn Fitzpatrick 6, Shabnim Ismail 6, Sune Luus 5, Shelley Nitschke 5

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Form guide

Past 10 matches, most recent first. W: win, L: loss, N: no result

Australia: W W W W N W L W W W

Australia have five wins from five completed matches at this World Cup and after a couple of early wobbles they are hitting their stride. They thrived in Vizag, chasing a world record 330 against India before trouncing Bangladesh, chasing 198 in under 25 overs to seal a 10-wicket win. On Wednesday, there were periods where they were challenged by England but ultimately an unbeaten century to Ashleigh Gardner secured an emphatic six-wicket win.

Those performances came after Australia were 7-76 against Pakistan in Colombo before Beth Mooney rescued them with a century, setting up what was ultimately a comfortable 107-run win. Their game against Sri Lanka at the same venue was abandoned without a ball bowled, while they also had a batting wobble in their tournament opener against New Zealand, before a century to Gardner and a strong bowling effort secured an 89-run win.

‘I’m not normally that emotional’: Gardner explains raw reaction

South Africa: W W W W W L L W W L

South Africa’s tournament started on a dismal note when they were bowled out for 69 in a shock thumping at the hands of England.

Since then, they have steadily built into one of the form teams of the tournament. They secured nervy wins over Bangladesh and India, and avoided the weather woes of other teams in Colombo, winning rain-shortened matches against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

2025 Women’s ODI World Cup

Australia squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham

Australia’s group stage matches

October 1: Australia beat New Zealand by 89 runs

October 4: v Sri Lanka: Abandoned without a ball bowled

October 8: Australia beat Pakistan by 107 runs

October 12: Australia beat India by 3 wickets

October 16: Australia beat Bangladesh by 10 wickets

October 22: v England, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

October 25: v South Africa, Holkar Stadium, Indore, 8:30pm AEDT

Finals

Semi-final 1: TBC v England, Guwahati, October 29, 8:30pm AEDT

Semi-final 2: TBC v India, Mumbai, October 30, 8:30pm AEDT

Final: Mumbai, November 2, 8:30pm AEDT