South Africa produced an all-round display to continue their unbeaten run in the tournament, beating defending champions England by three wickets to register a hat-trick of wins in the ongoing ICC Women's ODI World Cup in Mount Maunganui on Monday.
South Africa first rode on Marizanne Kapp's 5/45, her best bowling ODI figures, to restrict four-time champions England to 235 for nine and then Laura Wolvaardt (77 off 101 balls) held their innings together as they overcame a late scare to chase down the target with four balls to spare.
South Africa skipper Sune Luus (36), Kapp (32) and Tazmin Brits (23) also provided useful support with the bat.
Wolvaardt hit eight boundaries.
After her brilliant show with the ball, Kapp played a good hand with bat and almost took South Africa past the finishing line with her 42-ball knock during which she struck three boundaries and one six.
Kapp fell just 10 runs short of the target, LBW to Anya Shrubsole (2/34).
The wicket gave England a glimmer of hope but it was not to be as Trisha Chetty (12 not out) and Shabnim Ismail (5 not out) took South Africa home.
The win helped South Africa jump to the second spot in the eight-team standings with maximum six points from three games ahead of India but below Australia on net run rate.
England, on the other hand, suffered third straight loss and are yet to open their account in the points table.
This is South Africa's first World Cup win against England since 2000, while it's the first time that a defending champion side of a World Cup (men/women or ODI/T20I) lost their first three matches.
Pakistan slump to their fourth defeat in as many matches
Meanwhile, in Hamilton, opener Sidra Ameen's 104 went in vain as Pakistan committed harakiri to hand debutants Bangladesh a nine-run win, their first-ever victory in the ICC Women's ODI World Cup.
Chasing 235 to win, Ameen gave Pakistan a flying start, forging a 91-run partnership with Nahida Khan (43) for the first wicket and then added another 64 runs with Bismah Maroof (31).
With Ameen going strong, Pakistan were well on course for a successful chase, reaching 183 for two but Fahima Khatun (3/38) turned the match on its head with three quick wickets as Pakistan inexplicably lost five of their batters for just five runs to slip to 188 for seven and were eventually restricted to 225 for nine.
Khatun picked up the wickets of Omaima Sohail (10), Aliya Riaz (0) and Fatima Sana (0), while Rumana Ahmed removed Nida Dar (0) before centurion Ameen fell for a run-out to end Pakistan's hope.
Featuring in their first women's World Cup, Bangladesh had lost their first two games against South Africa and New Zealand, while Pakistan slumped to their fourth defeat in as many matches and 18th successive loss in the event.
Earlier, invited to bat, Bangladesh scored 234 for seven, riding on Fargana Hoque's 71 and some useful contributions from Sharmin Akhter (44) and skipper Nigar Sultana (46). Hoque shared 96 runs for the third wicket with Sultana to lay the foundation as Bangladesh posted their highest total in ODIs.
