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As the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 hurtles toward its knockout phase, South Africa stand on the cusp of history. They became the second team to punch their semi-final ticket on October 18, 2025, following Australia's qualification. Their turnaround, from an opening loss to England by 10 wickets to five straight wins, has propelled them to second place on the points table with 10 points from six matches, just behind Australia's 11. Having secured their semi-final berth with two league games to spare, the team is reportedly brimming with quiet confidence.
South Africa middle order batter Anneke Bosch has voiced the squad's collective ambition, to shatter their long-standing glass ceiling and reach their first-ever ODI World Cup final. “We've been really good at being consistent in big tournaments,” Bosch said in an interview, which was taken sometime after South Africa's emphatic 150-run victory (DLS method) over Pakistan in Colombo recently. She further added, “But now obviously we want to take it one step further because in the ODI World Cup, we haven't (reached the final) before. So, it would mean a lot to us.” Bosch credits their recent knockout exploits for instilling belief: semi-finals in the 2017 and 2022 ODI World Cups, 2020 and 2023 T20 World Cups, plus a runners-up finish in the 2024 T20 edition.
Twelve players from the current South Africa Women squad featured in the 2023 and 2024 T20 World Cup team
“Reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence,” Anneke Bosch added. She further said, “The fact that we have participated in a couple of semifinals now just helps us to deal with that pressure.” Twelve players from the current squad featured in the 2023 and 2024 T20 World Cup teams, providing a seamless blend of experience and youth. The bowling attack, anchored by veterans Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune, and Nonkululeko Mlaba has been consistent since the 2022 ODI World Cup. The winning culture extends beyond the senior women. South Africa's men's team reached the T20 World Cup final in 2024 and the Champions Trophy semi-final earlier in 2025, while the women's U-19 side were runners-up at their T20 World Cup this year, and the men's U-19s reached the semis in 2024.
“It's a combination of a lot of things,” Anneke Bosch explained. She further said, “We are a massive sporting nation and we love to play for the country, and make the country and the people back at home proud. (A key factor is) our resilience and the way we come together as a country in big tournaments like these. We play for each other and we play for people back at home.” South Africa's immediate hurdle is a blockbuster league finale against Australia at Indore's Holkar Stadium on October 25 - a venue that's proven a batter's paradise this tournament, with an average first-innings score of 272.
