Nadine de Klerk insists South Africa have turned a corner ahead of high-stakes clash in Visakhapatnam
South Africa head into their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup showdown with India with renewed belief after quickly putting behind them what Nadine de Klerk described as a “horrible” opening-day collapse against England.
The Proteas were skittled for just 70 in their first outing, but bounced back strongly to outplay New Zealand in their second match. According to de Klerk, that response could be the turning point of their campaign.
“We just had a horrible day and nobody really stuck it out in the middle,” she admitted. “It was tough, but we moved on quickly. That’s cricket — sometimes you get rolled. The key was how we reacted against New Zealand.”
Lessons learned from early setback
De Klerk stressed that the defeat served as an early wake-up call.
“You have to be ready from ball one at a World Cup, and we weren’t. It opened our eyes, and I think we’ve shown real character since then,” she said.
The Proteas’ schedule has been unforgiving — England, New Zealand and now India in their opening three games — alongside constant travel between Guwahati, Indore and Visakhapatnam. But rather than using it as an excuse, South Africa have used the challenge to sharpen their adaptability to subcontinental conditions.
“Spinners are dominating, the wickets are turning, and it’s not easy to score quickly,” de Klerk explained. “It’s not going to be about 300-plus totals — it’s about scrapping runs, building partnerships, and backing our bowlers to defend.”
India confident but cautious
India, meanwhile, remain unbeaten after victories in their first two matches, though star batter Jemimah Rodrigues believes they are still short of their best.
“It’s scary for opponents to know we haven’t had our perfect game yet,” Rodrigues said. “Everyone in our lineup is a match-winner. We’re confident but focused on taking one game at a time.”
India will face Australia and England later in the group stage, but Rodrigues was clear that the Proteas demand full attention.
“For us, it’s simple — bowlers stick to their plans, batters play each ball on merit. Preparation and execution are in our control.”
What’s at stake
India will look to maintain their winning streak and build momentum heading into the tougher fixtures, while South Africa see this as a chance to prove they are genuine contenders despite their early stumble. With both teams aware of the slow, turning pitches, patience and partnerships could decide the outcome in Visakhapatnam.