Women’s World Cup | Khaka bowls South Africa to 32-run win over Bangladesh

Ayabonga Khaka’s superb seam bowling helped South Africa win their opening match against Bangladesh.

Put in to bat, the South Africans were bundled out for a below-par 207 with Marizanne Kapp (42), Laura Wolvaardt (41) and hard-hitting Chloe Tryon (39) lifting them to a competitive total.

Bangladesh made a steady start, reaching 69 for one before Khaka reduced them to 85 for four.

Nigar Sultana (29) and Ritu Moni (27) tried to make a match of it but it was too late as Bangladesh were bowled out for 175.

Earlier, Jahanara Alam’s experience and Fariha Trisna’s youth made for a pleasing new ball partnership for Bangladesh and it took Tazmin Brits 19 balls to get off the mark when she lifted the latter for a four over mid-on but the former world junior javelin champion departed for eight.

Wolvaardt and Lara Goodall (12) steadied the ship with the powerful opener profiting from the introduction of spin.

Medium-pacer Moni got rid of Wolvaardt with Goodall departing in the next over.

The experienced pair of Kapp and skipper Sune Luus (25) took control with three boundaries but were separated when the latter was run out.

Tryon and Kapp then peppered the boundary in a brilliant 71-run stand.

Tryon then looked to go big again but was caught at mid-off for 39, heralding a flurry of late wickets. The last four went down for 14 runs inside five overs.

The Proteas went in search of early wickets with aggressive lines and lengths but were met with stoical resistance from Sharmin Akhter and Shamima Sultana.

But once Khaka made the breakthrough by beating Sultana’s drive, wickets tumbled at regular intervals.