AB de Villiers continued his rich vein of form as he struck yet another century in WCL 2025. AB de Villiers who struck a breath-taking hundred in the chase against England, went one better this time scoring a majestic ton against high-flying Australian side. His 123 off 46 balls alongside JJ Smuts’ 85 off 53 balls propelled South Africa to 241-6 in 20 overs.
In the second innings, captain Aaron Phangiso’s 4-wicket haul and Imran Tahir’s 3 wickets bamboozled Australia bowling them out for 146 in 16.4 overs with only Ben Cutting showing some resistance with his 59* off 29 balls. With this huge win, South Africa jumped to the top of the points table and have qualified for the semi-finals.
AB de Villiers’ masterful ton propels South Africa to 241.Â
South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first with AB de Villiers playing as an Impact Player and would not field in the second innings. AB came to open the batting with JJ Smuts. Smuts took first strike and hit a couple of boundaries to make his intentions clear off Lee. Peter Siddle was then hit for the first maximum of the day by JJ Smuts.
AB de Villiers joined the party next by smashing a maximum down the ground and also hit a boundary off Lee. Steve O’Keefe was introduced into the attack, but AB was in the mood as he greeted him with two boundaries and a maximum in the over. John Hastings bowled a decent over until AB de Villiers hit him for two consecutive boundaries as South Africa were racing along. Daniel Christian came to bowl the last over of powerplay and he was greeted by Smuts for two boundaries and a maximum in the over to end the powerplay.
At the end of the powerplay, South Africa had raced away to 78/0 with D’Arcy Short being introduced into the attack. Smuts hit a boundary to continue his merry ways against Short. But there was no stopping AB de Villiers as he smashed a boundary and a six off Peter Siddle to bring up his fifty in just 22 balls. He hit another maximum to bring up the team’s 100 in 7.4 overs.
AB then hit Steve O’Keefe for another boundary through extra covers. Daniel Christian was taken to the cleaners as AB smashed him for 3 boundaries and a maximum to get 19 off the over. At the halfway stage after 10 overs, South Africa were 133/0. AB then hit D’Arcy Short for another maximum down the ground as he entered the 90s. AB smashed a maximum over deep point before Smuts hit a boundary through point to bring up his fifty off 34 balls. He hit another boundary through mid-on to end another big over for South Africa.
Then the moment came when Abraham Benjamin de Villiers got to his second century this season as he smashed Short for a boundary through a reverse sweep to third man. AB did not stop there as he took D’Arcy to the cleaners by hitting consecutive boundaries following which he hit another maximum and then hit another boundary to end the 13th over as 22 runs came off it.
Peter Siddle was hammered for a boundary by AB de Villiers. But Siddle managed to find the breakthrough as he dismissed the genius for 123 off 46 balls laced with 15 fours and 8 sixes over the fence. Siddle bowled a shorter delivery on off-stump. AB stood tall and swivelled to pull it. He went for the shot and did not time it too well. D’Arcy takes the catch at deep midwicket as AB walked off to a rousing reception. JP Duminy came in next and got off the mark with a boundary to get his innings going.
Smuts then took charge and hit two boundaries in the 15th over as the 200 was brought up by South Africa in 15 overs. At the end of 15 overs, South Africa were 203/1. Duminy decided to take on O’Keefe and smashed him for a maximum and a boundary. But Steve had his revenge as he got rid of Duminy for 16 off 9 balls with 2 fours and a six to his name. Steve tossed it up around off-stump which was an arm ball. Duminy advanced down the track and looked to flick it away but got beaten on the outside edge. The ball goes to the keeper Dunk who does the rest by whipping off the bails. Morne van Wyk came out to bat next.
Smuts continued his merry ways as he hit Brett Lee for a boundary. Daniel Christian picked up another wicket as Australia were pulling things back. Morne van Wyk was dismissed for 3 off 4 balls. Yorker angling away from around the wicket pitching on middle and off-stump. Morne looked to swipe the ball but missed it. Too quick from Christian as the ball zipped past the batter and crashed on the bottom of the off-stump. Henry Davids was the next batter to come in and get off the mark. Smuts hit a massive maximum off a full toss over deep midwicket.
Brett Lee came back to the attack and cleaned up Henry Davids for 1 off 3 balls. Yorker length on the stumps from Lee, Davids tried to work it away leg side off his front foot. But the ball zipped past the blade and crashed on the bottom of the middle stump and it was uprooted. Wayne Parnell came out to bat next and got off the mark.
Peter Siddle picked up the well-set JJ Smuts for 85 off 53 balls laced with 10 fours and 3 sixes to his name. Siddle bowled a full toss on off-stump from over the wicket. Smuts stood tall and slogged it straight to D’Arcy at deep midwicket. Hardus Viljoen came out to bat next. Siddle had another in the over as he cleaned up Wayne Parnell for 1 off 2 balls. Hard length delivery on middle and off-stump which was a leg cutter angling a tad into the batter. Parnell missed the swipe and the ball crashed into the stumps. Captain Aaron Phangiso came out to bat next and got off the mark straightaway.
It was a good comeback by Australia in the end overs as South Africa looked to reach a huge score at one stage. Just 3 runs off the final over as South Africa Champions finished with 241/6 in 20 overs. Both Phangiso and Viljoen remained unbeaten on 1 each. 10 extras given by the Australian bowlers.
It was a hard day for the Australian bowlers out in Leeds. Peter Siddle was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/38 in 4 overs. Brett Lee the captain chipped in with 1/38 in 4 overs. Steve O’Keefe got a wicket but went for 55 in 4 overs. Daniel Christian chipped in with 1/41 in 3 overs. No wickets for John Hastings and D’Arcy Short and were expensive. Australia Champions had a mountain to climb as they needed 242 for the win.
Aaron Phangiso and Imran Tahir rip Australia apart
Chris Lynn and Shaun Marsh walked out to bat for Australia while Impact Player Imran Tahir came in for AB de Villiers and started the bowling for South Africa. It was a dream start for Tahir and South Africa as Tahir dismissed Chris Lynn for a golden duck. Tahir bowled a long hop from over the wicket around off skidding into the batter. Lynn pressed low as he tried to slog sweep but he holed out to Viljoen at backward point. The danger man departed as D’Arcy Short came out to bat next.
Short got off the mark with a single while Shaun Marsh got his first boundary to get himself going. JP Duminy was introduced into the attack and was dispatched for a boundary by Marsh. Marsh was in the mood as he hit Hardus Viljoen for 3 boundaries in 5 balls before Viljoen hit back and got rid of the southpaw for 18 off 13 balls with 4 boundaries to his name. Fuller delivery on off-stump, Marsh flicked it off his front foot but got cramped up in the process. He played it straight into the hands of Sarel Erwee who took it easily. Ben Dunk came out to bat next.
Wayne Parnell was welcomed to the bowling crease by D’Arcy Short for a maximum but Parnell immediately hit back by dismissing Short for 13 off 6 balls with a boundary and six to his name. Parnell bowled short and wide climbing off the deck, D’Arcy went for the upper cut and failed to ride the bounce. He threw his hands at it but picked out the short third fielder where Duanne Olivier made no mistake. Parnell picked two wickets in two balls as he got rid of Daniel Christian for a golden duck.
Parnell bowled the back of a length delivery around off angling away from the right-hander. Christian tries to swipe at it but picks out JP Duminy at midwicket. Callum Ferguson came in next and negotiated the hat-trick ball by hitting it away for a boundary to get off the mark. He got another boundary away over mid-off to end the over. Ben Dunk joined the party as he hit consecutive boundaries to start the 5th over.
Duanne Olivier was introduced into the attack to bowl the final over of powerplay. Dunk took him on by driving a boundary through extra cover while Ferguson heaved away over midwicket for a boundary. At the end of the powerplay, Australia were struggling at 61/4 in 6 overs as captain Aaron Phangiso came into the attack. Phangiso struck straightaway after powerplay as Dunk was dismissed for 15 off 10 balls with 3 boundaries to his name.
Phangiso bowled it from around the wicket pitched it in fuller around off-stump slower in the air. Dunk sat low to slog sweep but he picked out the fielder at cow corner. Imran Tahir made no mistake as Impact Substitute Rob Quiney came out to bat next. The Impact Sub made no Impact as Tahir castled him for 2 off 7 balls. Tahir bowled a quicker one fuller and straight on the leg stump. Rob Quiney shuffled in the off-side and sat low and tried to sweep it but missed it as the ball landed on the leg stump. Ben Cutting came out to bat next.
Phangiso and South Africa were on a roll as Phangiso got rid of Callum Ferguson for 15 off 9 balls with 3 boundaries to his name. Phangiso bowls not that short ball to pull it, but Ferguson looked to manufacture a shot. He got to the off-side by rocking deep into the crease. He got the top edge and Jacques Rudolph did the rest. John Hastings came out to bat next as Australia were 7 down now.
Wickets continued to tumble as Imran Tahir cleaned up John Hastings for 1 off 5 balls. Fullish delivery from Tahir with pace on the ball as the googly turned away from the batter. Hastings rocked back to flick it away but the ball crashed into the middle stump by turning into the batter. Peter Siddle came out to bat next while Cutting managed to get a boundary away off Tahir. At the end of 10 overs, at the halfway stage Australia were tottering at 73/8.
Peter Siddle wanted to have fun as he got a boundary away off Phangiso. Ben Cutting was the lone shining light for Australia as he hit two consecutive boundaries off Tahir. JJ Smuts was introduced into the attack and was smashed for a maximum as Australia brought up the 100 in 12.2 overs. Siddle also managed to get a boundary away off Smuts. Jacques Rudolph was now introduced into the attack and he got smashed too as Cutting welcomed him with two maximums in consecutive balls before ending the over with a boundary.
Cutting was battling alone as he smashed Smuts for a boundary and brought up his half-century off 23 balls with another boundary. Australia were 138/8 in 15 overs and out of the contest. Cutting continued to reduce the margin of defeat by smashing a maximum off Hardus Viljoen. But Aaron Phangiso decided to take matter into his own hands as he dismissed Peter Siddle for 19 off 17 balls with 2 fours to his name.
Fuller length delivery pitching in wide outside off, Siddle looked to loft it down the track but didn’t time it too well. The ball went straight down the throat of long-off fielder where Viljoen took the catch. Australia were 9 down now as Steve O’Keefe came out to bat next. Phangiso finished things off soon dismissing Steve O’Keefe for a silver duck.
Phangiso bowled a good length ball on off-stump. The batter jammed out of the crease but miscued it up in the air. Sarel Erwee near the ropes settled underneath it and took the catch as Australia were bowled out for 146 in 16.4 overs. Cutting remained unbeaten on 59 off 29 balls with 6 fours and 4 sixes to his name.
Captain Aaron Phangiso was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa Champions finishing with 4/13 in 3.4 overs. He was ably supported by Imran Tahir who finished with 3/27 in 4 overs. Wayne Parnell bowled a single over and picked up a couple of wickets for 14 runs. Hardus Viljoen chipped in with a wicket finishing with 1/32 in 3 overs. The others rolled their arms over just to get practise but did not need to get wickets. So, South Africa Champions won this contest by 95 runs and for his masterful knock, the Player of the Match Award went to AB de Villiers.
What Lies Ahead
With this win, South Africa Champions have jumped to the top of the points table with 8 points from 5 games with 4 wins under their belt. Australia Champions are in 3rd place with 5 points from 4 games with 5 points to their name. Both of them alongside Pakistan Champions have qualified for the semi-finals with the 4th spot still up for grabs.
We have a day’s break in WCL 2025 before the final two matches takes place on Tuesday, 29th of July. We are back at Grace Road, Leicester where Australia takes on Pakistan at 5PM IST while India takes on West Indies at 9PM IST. Which team among West Indies, England and even India for that matter take the 4th spot? Well, only time will tell as we get ready for the final stages of WCL 2025.
Also Read:Â WCL 2025: Australia Edge Out India In A Thriller