South African opener Laura Woolvardt plucked a one-handed stunner during the Women's World Cup 2025 match against New Zealand at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. With Lea Tahuhu looking to hit a boundary by clearing the cover fielder, Woolvardt timed her jump perfectly to pluck the ball out of thin air.
The dismissal occurred in the 47th over of the innings sent down by Nonkululeko Mlaba. With the left-arm spinner pitching the ball up outside off, Tahuhu played an aerial stroke but failed to get the ball past the fielder at cover. Woolvardt, stationed at cover, made the catch extremely look extremely easy.
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The 25-year-old left-arm spinner was the pick of the bowlers with outstanding figures of 10-0-40-4. She had dismissed Sophie Devine (85), Brooke Halliday (45) and Maddy Green (4). Devine, who made a valiant hundred against Australia, stood up again for her team by top-scoring with 85 but the White Ferns managed only 232 on the board in the end. Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tyron snared one scalp each.
Laura Woolvardt dismissed for quick-fire 14 but South Africa on track for victory
Meanwhile, Woolvardt was dismissed early in the innings as Jess Kerr got the better of her for 14 off 10 deliveries, laced with three boundaries. Nevertheless, Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus have kept their side firmly on track to chase down 233, stitching a stand of more than 80 runs.
South Africa had suffered a shocking ten-wicket loss to England in their tournament-opener as they were bowled out for 69 in an innings that lasted only 20.4 overs. Hence, a win over New Zealand will lift up their morale massively.
