King's impressive seven wickets led Australia to a semi-final match against India.

King's impressive seven wickets led Australia to a semi-final match against India.

Alana King took a record-breaking 7/18 as Australia thrashed South Africa by seven wickets in Indore. Both teams head to the semi-finals—Australia face India, South Africa meet England.

Australia ended the group stage of the Women's World Cup with a big win over South Africa in Indore. They chased down a small target with ease, winning by seven wickets and finishing the match with more than 33 overs left. With this win, Australia will play India in the second semi-final on October 30 in Navi Mumbai. South Africa will face England in the first semi-final on October 29 in Guwahati.

The star of the match was Alana King. She took 7 wickets for just 18 runs—Australia’s best-ever bowling figures in women’s ODIs and the first seven-wicket haul in Women’s World Cup history. Her performance is second only to Glenn McGrath’s 7 for 15 in the 2003 World Cup. King bowled with great control and spin, making it very hard for South Africa to score.

South Africa was bowled out for just 97 runs. Only three of their batters reached double figures. Captain Laura Wolvaardt started well with 31 runs off 26 balls, but once she got out, the team collapsed. From 42 for 2, they quickly fell to 60 for 6. Sinalo Jafta tried to fight back with 29 runs, but King dismissed her too and finished the innings by bowling Nadine de Klerk for her seventh wicket.

Australia also lost two early wickets while chasing. Phoebe Litchfield and Ellyse Perry got out quickly, but Georgia Voll and Beth Mooney steadied the innings. They added 76 runs together. Mooney got out with just 11 runs needed, and Voll stayed unbeaten on 38 to take Australia home comfortably.

South Africa’s batters played too many risky shots, which helped King take wickets. Several players tried big hits early and got out. Even though both teams had already qualified for the semi-finals, South Africa’s poor batting meant they started and ended the group stage with two of the shortest innings in Women’s World Cup history.

South Africa 97 in 24 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 31; Alana King 7/18)

Australia 98/3 in 16.5 overs (Beth Mooney 42, Georgia Voll 38; Marizanne Kapp 1/11) by 7 wickets