In the year since Australia’s shock semi-final defeat to South Africa at last year’s T20 World Cup, much of the focus has been on the batting shake-up it triggered.

The order was rejigged, a ‘no ceilings’ approach adopted, with the consensus that a lack of boldness had been a contributor to that outcome in Dubai.

Another ingredient missing from that T20 knock-out match was one Alana Marie King.

The 29-year-old, already a force in the 50-over side, had yet to force her way back into the shortest format and spent that World Cup wearing the orange bib, playing the role of hydration specialist on the sidelines.

So, South Africa may not have been quite prepared for the storm King would unleash on them in Indore on Saturday.

Throughout this tournament, King has been bubbling away, more miserly than Ebenezer Scrooge but without bags of wickets to show for it.

In Australia’s two most recent games heading into the clash with the Proteas, against Bangladesh and England, her 10 overs went for a combined 38 runs.

On Saturday, an ill-thought-out attempt from Sune Luus to slog sweep the leg-spinner’s second delivery saw her hole out cheaply and from there the floodgates opened.

Rather than simply trying to survive and see King off, as their counterparts from England and Bangladesh had done, the South Africans continued to attack and quickly perished.

But then, those who did opt to defend looked equally at sea, as King’s note perfect spell ended with 7-18, a record ODI haul by an Australian woman, and the best figures in women’s ODI World Cup history.

It eclipsed Australia’s previous best haul of 7-22 claimed by Ellyse Perry, who tore through England in equally ruthless fashion in Canterbury during the 2019 Ashes.

“No, it definitely has not (sunk in),” King said following Saturday’s game.

“It probably will take some time for it to, (but I will) enjoy it, and no doubt, watch a couple of highlights.”

Saturday’s performed underlined King’s status as a spinner at the peak of her powers and as the current premier leg-spinner in the women’s game.

The Victoria-born spinner now has combined figures of 10-56 from 27 overs in her past three games, at an economy rate of just over two runs an over. 

Australia coach Shelley Nitschke – who had laid claim to the second-best ODI figures by an Australian woman prior to Saturday, and who watched on from the sidelines in delight as she was relegated to the bronze medal position – was effusive in her praise for King.

“It was a special performance from Kingy tonight, so really happy for her to do that in a World Cup,” Nitschke said.

“I’m absolutely rapt with how she’s bowled the last couple of games, to be fair.

“She’s been fantastic … I think she’s a big-game player and when she’s up and about, she brings a lot of energy to the team.

“She burst onto the scene a couple of years ago and had a really strong Ashes for us and has continued to perform, particularly in this format.”

It continued what has been a dominant 2025 for King, who claimed a record-equalling 23 wickets across all formats during the Ashes in January.

Since she made her international debut in early 2022, King has gone from strength to strength particularly in the one-day format.

Her first year in the green and gold saw her take 14 ODI wickets in 12 games at 25.5, followed by 14 at 24.5 from 10 appearances in 2023.

As it stands, she has taken 25 scalps at 15.52 in 12 ODIs this calendar year, bettering the 19 at 12.10, also from 12 games, that she took in 2024.

“I think probably from the start of the year, maybe late last year, I felt like I’ve found a really nice rhythm in my bowling, and I’ve tried to be really consistent in the length that I want to be bowling and being really consistent with my stock ball,” King said following Saturday’s game.

“I love ODI cricket because it’s the best format, and for it to come out in a World Cup as well is pretty special.

“I just think as a whole bowling group throughout the tournament, we’ve been pretty relentless, and we’ve got ourselves back into games.

“The word that I’ve been using for probably the last 12 months, and people are probably getting sick of it, is it’s fizzing out.

“As a leg-spinner, to feel that snap out of the wrist, that’s what I’ve been working on, and hopefully, long may it continue.”

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: Australia beat England by 6 wickets

October 25: Australia beat South Africa by 7 wickets

Finals

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

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

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

All matches to be broadcast exclusively live and free on Prime Video.