Nonkululeko Mlaba leads Proteas Women's World Cup fightback with the ball and in the field

Nonkululeko Mlaba produced a stunning bowling display to lift the Proteas off the canvas against New Zealand in their ICC World Cup clash in Indore on Monday.

The left-arm spinner claimed 4/40 to bowl out the White Ferns for 231 in 47.5 overs.  The Proteas will require 232 for the first victory of their World Cup campaign.

Fresh off the embarrassing 10-wicket defeat to England in their opener last week, Laura Wolvaardt's side took the field desperate to show their true worth after the White Ferns elected to bat.

Marizanne Kapp (1/34) provided the early impetus by trapping Suzie Bates, who was playing her 350th ODI, plumb in front for a golden duck with the very first ball of the innings. 

It was just the tonic the Proteas required to put the Guwahati debacle behind them with the 2017 and 2023 semi-finalists producing an epic fielding performance. 

Wolvaardt led from the front with an astounding one-handed catch. The skipper flung herself to the right before plucking a Lea Tahuhu lofted drive out of the air. 

The White Ferns’ innings was held together by veteran Sophie Devine, who was also playing her 300th ODI. Devine (85 off 98 balls) formed a 57-run partnership for the third wicket with Georgia Plimmer (31 off 68 balls) and a further 86-run stand off only 75 balls with Brooke Halliday (45 off 37 balls) set up the Kiwis at 187/3.

But it was Halliday's dismissal, caught and bowled to the impressive Mlaba, that triggered the New Zealand collapse. 

The Kiwis lost their remaining seven wickets for just 44 runs in 9.5 overs due to Mlaba’s heroics and some spectacular catching and fielding. 

It was only fitting that New Zealand's innings was brought to a close through another run out by Ayabonga Khaka.

ICC WOMEN'S WORLD CUP

New Zealand: 231 all out (Devine 85, Halliday 45, Mlaba 4/40)