In a thrilling turnaround at the 13th ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, South African opener Tazmin Brits stood tall to steer her team to an impressive 6-wicket victory over New Zealand at the Holkar Stadium, Indore, on October 6th.
After a disastrous 10-wicket defeat in their opener against England, where South Africa was bowled out for just 69, one of their lowest totals in World Cup history, Brits’ innings was a beacon of resilience and class. Her commanding 101 off 89 balls, embellished with 15 boundaries and a six, not only rescued the Proteas but also saw her shatter multiple records in the process.
The Brits’ century was a landmark for several reasons. It was her seventh in Women’s ODIs, making her the fastest to reach this milestone in just 41 innings, surpassing former Australian skipper Meg Lanning’s 44 innings. Additionally, it was her maiden century in World Cup cricket, underscoring her ability to excel on the biggest stage.
The South African opener also set a new standard with five centuries in the calendar year 2025, breaking Indian vice-captain Smriti Mandhana’s previous record of four centuries in a year. With 749 runs at an impressive average of 83.22 and a strike rate of 96.14 in 11 innings this year, Brits now trails only Mandhana in the race for the highest run-scorer in Women’s ODIs for 2025.
In the post-match press conference, Brits attributed her prolific run-scoring form to meticulous hard work and an expanded shot selection, attributing no single secret to her success. “I don’t know what it is, maybe cook sisters, the South African sweet treat. Nah, nothing very different, I’ve just tried to expand my shot selection a bit more, and I’ve been working very, very hard on that,” she reflected.
Reflecting on the heavy defeat against England in their campaign opener, Brits admitted it was a tough pill to swallow. “Yeah, it didn’t sit well with me. I was actually very annoyed that day. I didn’t want to eat that night, and I overthought to process it completely, but, yeah, we’ve put that past as quickly as possible and said, you know, we’ve got to move on to the next game.” Her reaction sums up the mental strength South Africa showed in rebounding so emphatically.
Brits also gave insight into her iconic on-field celebrations. Her signature ballerina pose, dedicated to her father, was once again on display after passing fifty. Additionally, she performed a bow-and-arrow celebration inspired by requests from fans, particularly two 13-year-old girls, a touching reminder of the deep connections players foster with their supporters.
Regarding the match specifics, Brits judged the target of 232 set by New Zealand as below par on what she described as a good batting track. “I think they were actually a bit short of runs, I definitely think, like maybe 280 would’ve worked.” She also noted that while the pitch seemed tackier at the start, South Africa’s bowlers applied exceptional discipline and consistency, exploiting conditions better than New Zealand.
When asked to rate her century, Brits described it as “a bit fun,” with the ball coming off the middle of the bat more cleanly than usual. However, she recalled her century (101* off 121 balls) in Lahore earlier in September, which came under tougher conditions, as her “best century,” highlighting the challenges and satisfaction in that innings alongside teammate Marizanne Kapp.
On team selection, Brits clarified that the omission of Annerie Dercksen from the playing XI was purely a strategic decision. “No injury, she’s fit to go. We’ve got a lot of excellent players in our team, so it’s very difficult to select.”
This masterful innings from Tazmin Brits not only secured South Africa’s first win of the tournament but also reaffirmed her status as one of women’s cricket’s premier batters in 2025. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Brits to continue her exceptional form and help propel South Africa deeper into the competition.
With Player of the Match honours and record-breaking feats, Brits demonstrated why she is a force to be reckoned with in this World Cup campaign. South Africa’s convincing win over a strong New Zealand side has set the tone for a fascinating tournament ahead.
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