Laura Wolvaardt smashed an unbeaten 126 to equal the world record for most international centuries in women’s cricket as South Africa defeated Zimbabwe by 80 runs.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt produced a spectacular batting performance against Zimbabwe, smashing an unbeaten 126 in the third T20I of their series. Her record-equalling century helped South Africa secure an 80-run victory and take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Wolvaardt walked out to lead South Africa’s batting effort and quickly established control over the Zimbabwe bowling attack. The opener eventually finished unbeaten on 126 from only 62 balls, surpassing her previous T20I best of 115 not out, which she scored against Ireland in December 2025.
The century was her fourth in women’s T20I cricket and took her overall international century tally to 18. That moved her level with India’s Smriti Mandhana for the most international hundreds in women’s cricket.
Wolvaardt’s innings provided South Africa with the perfect platform to post a huge total. She combined controlled strokeplay with aggressive hitting, ensuring that Zimbabwe faced an increasingly difficult target as the innings progressed.
The South African captain’s achievement was particularly significant because it came during a series in which the Proteas had already demonstrated strong consistency. With three victories from the opening three matches, South Africa secured the series with two games still to play.
The match also produced another major milestone for South Africa. Annerie Dercksen claimed her maiden T20I five-wicket haul, giving the team outstanding contributions with both bat and ball. Her performance helped South Africa maintain control after Wolvaardt had provided the huge total.
Wolvaardt’s century adds another major chapter to her international career. The South African captain has become one of the most consistent batters in women’s cricket, and reaching 18 international centuries alongside Mandhana highlights the scale of her achievements.
South Africa will now look to complete the remaining two matches of the series with the same consistency. Zimbabwe, meanwhile, will aim to regroup and produce a stronger response in the remaining fixtures after falling behind 3-0.
#LauraWolvaardt #SouthAfricaWomen #ZimbabweWomen #T20I #WomensCricket #CricketRecords #ProteasWomen #T20Cricket #CricketNews #Howzzat
