Mlaba, Brits, Luus seal comfortable win for South Africa

Tazmin Brits is having a year like no other. Her fifth hundred in 2025 - the most-ever by a woman in a calendar year - studded South Africa's dominance as they got onto the points table with a crushing six-wicket win over New Zealand, who slumped to their second straight loss in Indore.

Four nights after being bundled out for the second-lowest score in World Cups, South Africa showed authority and intent in chasing down 232 in 40.5 overs. This somewhat helped cover up for a massive net run rate dent from their embarrassing loss to England in Guwahati.

That South Africa had only these many to chase was largely thanks to left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, whose 4 for 40 triggered an alarming slide after Sophie Devine and Brook Halliday threatened a jailbreak. After the pair had added a quickfire 86 for the fourth-wicket, New Zealand were coasting at 187 for 3 in 38 overs when Mlaba made big dents.

Halliday contributed 45 off 37 in a terrific exhibition of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, before falling to one hit too many when she top-edged a slog-sweep off Mlaba at the start of the 39th. During her stay, she briefly gave South Africa the shivers, like she had in last year's T20 World Cup final in Dubai.

South Africa hit back quickly after Halliday's dismissal, with Mlaba next sending back Maddy Green to an ill-advised reverse sweep as she picked out backward point. Amid the collapse, Devine held out hope for New Zealand, like she'd done in hitting a valiant 112 against Australia in their opener.

Devine helped shift gears after Georgia Plimmer struggled to hit the ball off the square in a painstaking 31 off 68 balls. Devine was largely measured, taking 66 deliveries to bring up a half-century, her 17th in ODIs, before shifting gears, as she fed off Halliday's form and enterprise.

Halliday and Devine raised their half-century stand off just 41 deliveries, and New Zealand looked set for a lift-off. But Devine's dismissal for 85, attempting to work a full delivery into the leg side, had a deflating effect. Ayabonga Khaka then cleaned up the lower order, as New Zealand lost 7 for 44 to be bowled out for 231, leaving 13 deliveries unused.

All told, it was an innings of contrasting fortunes. New Zealand played themselves into a hole, consuming as many as 72 dots in the first 15 overs to leave the middle order with too much to do, after Suzie Bates fell for a second straight duck off the first ball of the match and Melie Kerr for 22. Then Devine and Halliday bailed them out, but in having a terrible back 10, New Zealand undid all the good work through the middle overs.

To make a fist of the target, New Zealand needed early wickets, and they had one when Laura Wolvaardt, who plucked a stunner to end New Zealand's innings, was out lbw playing around her front pad to Jess Kerr. But that was as much joy as they were to derive over the next two hours as Brits put on an exhibition, with Sune Luus for company.

Brits' was a high-tempo innings full of stunning shots, and it included a thrilling takedown of Melie Kerr early in the innings to offset any threat South Africa had. Having begun the innings steadily, Brits went into overdrive after the 10-over mark, at one point hitting five boundaries in nine deliveries, en route to a 44-ball half-century, her fastest in ODIs.

Brits equally punished Eden Carson, the offspinner, muscling a six to bring up the 100 partnership off 111 deliveries. Brits' use of her feet to negate any turn and bludgeon spinners repeatedly down the ground made for thrilling viewing. And while she was flying, Luus was fighting for survival.

Unlike Brits, Luus struggled for timing, but the reward for all that tenacity for a fight was a half-century that she raised off 76 balls. Brits' counter-attack gave her the rare luxury of finding her feet as the ball spun and jumped, merely underlining how ridiculously easy Brits had made batting look.

Brits fell soon after getting to her century, bowled attempting to pull a skiddy length ball off Lea Tahuhu to leave South Africa briefly wobbly, as they lost two more wickets in an attempt to raze down the runs. But even through that, the result was a foregone conclusion.

Luus raised the winning runs with a lofted hit over extra cover, finishing unbeaten on 81 to ensure South Africa ride a wave of confidence when they meet hosts and table-toppers India come Thursday in Vizag. New Zealand will hope for a change of luck when they travel to Guwahati to play Bangladesh the following day.