Kapp leads Proteas women into next round
Allrounder Marizanne Kapp cleaned up with bat and ball as South Africa stormed into the super sixes stage of the Women's Cricket World Cup with a crushing 126-run victory over Pakistan in Cuttack, India, on Tuesday.
After losing their first two matches of the tournament to New Zealand and Australia, the Proteas women coasted to a comfortable win in their final pool clash to finish third in Group B.
Centurion Kapp and teenager Dane van Niekerk laid the foundation with the bat, as the South Africans made 207/5 in their 50 overs, and the bowling attack combined well to dismiss the Pakistanis for 81 runs in the 30th over.
Shabnim Ismail, Susan Benade and Marcia Metsoalo bagged two wickets each to strangle Pakistan's top order, and Kapp took a career-best 3/18 to remove the tail as they secured a convincing victory.
Sidra Ameen top-scored with 15 runs for Pakistan, who fell well short of their target, with only four players in their lineup reaching double figures.
South Africa had earlier got off to a slow start, restricted to 55/4 in the 17th over after they won the toss and chose to bat.
Kapp smashed a maiden ODI ton and 19-year-old Van Niekerk notched up her first half-century as they took control of the innings with an unbroken 128-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Kapp faced 150 balls for her unbeaten 102, including 11 boundaries, and Van Niekerk made 55 not out from 77 deliveries, with six fours and one six.
The experienced seam pair of Qanita Jalil and Asmavia Iqbal bagged two wickets each to put South Africa on the back foot early on before the duo at the crease turned the innings around and paved the way to a crucial win.
