From Kapp's 5/20 to Laura Wolvaardt's 169: The Proteas Women's record-breaking semi-final

The Proteas Women’s historic semi-final victory over England in the ICC Women’s World Cup broke a number of records on the night.

Independent Media’s Zaahier Adams highlights the record-breaking feats.

• 5121 

The Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt required 48 runs to reach 5000 ODI runs before her epic innings. She passed the figure comfortably to become the youngest woman , first South African, and the sixth overall to reach the milestone.

•  319/7

The Proteas had never scored 300 in the World Cup before this 2025 edition. They broke their ceiling in the round-robin encounter against Pakistan in Colombo, but went one better with their highest score ever at the World Cup when it mattered most in a semi-final.

• 169

Wolvaardt’s epic innings broke a number of records along the way. It is the first time a team captain struck a century in a World Cup semi-final. It was also the highest individual score by a South African at a World Cup.

• 125 

The Proteas victory margin over England was their biggest in terms of runs in 48 ODI’s dating back to 1997.

• 44

Marizanne Kapp’s wicket total saw her pass Indian great Jhulan Guswami as the highest wicket-taker in World Cups ever.

• 35 years 299 days

Kapp’s career-best 5/20 in the semi-final made her third oldest player ever to bag a “Michelle”.

• 20 fours, 4 sixes

The number of boundaries Wolvaardt struck during her innings. It equalled her most number of sixes in an innings, and fell just three boundaries short.

• 8

The amount of century partnerships between Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits after their 116-run opening stand. It is the most by any South African opening pair, eclipsing the seven Wolvaardt shared with Lizelle Lee.

• 1

The Proteas Women become the first South African senior side - male or female - to reach an ODI World Cup final.