Australian leg-spinner Alana King produced a historic bowling performance, taking seven wickets for just eighteen runs to drive her team to a dominant seven-wicket victory over South Africa and clinch first place in the group stage of the Women’s Cricket World Cup. The match took place on Saturday at Holkar Stadium in Indore, where South Africa were bowled out for just ninety-seven before Australia completed a swift chase in sixteen and a half overs.

South Africa had started with promise when Laura Wolvaardt hit four boundaries off Megan Schutt’s second over, giving her side a platform. However, King changed the game with a devastating first over, removing Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp to spark a collapse. The Proteas fell to eighty-one for seven, and King wrapped up the innings by bowling Nadine de Klerk for fourteen. Australia lost early wickets—Phoebe Litchfield fell for five and Ellyse Perry for a duck—but a composed fifty-nine-run stand between Georgia Voll (38*) and Beth Mooney (42) sealed the win.

With that victory Australia remain unbeaten in the tournament and will now face hosts India in the semi-final in Navi Mumbai. South Africa, meanwhile, must regroup and will meet England in the other semi-final in Guwahati. King’s 7-18 is the best bowling figures in Women’s World Cup history and sets a formidable marker for the knockout phase.

Australia will head into the semi-final full of confidence, their attack vindicated and their place at the top of the table secured just as the title defence enters its decisive stage.