The India women’s national cricket team vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline shows the rivalry that has developed since their first meeting in women ODI Cricket back in 1997. Notable examples being Waugh, Akram and Chappell in ODIs) and since 1992 it has grown into a key rivalry across ODIs, T20Is and Tests with many World Cup matches, close finishes & individual performances defining the series.
Overall, India have a better record, especially in ODIs, but few of those South African wins stand out. The competitiveness of the rivalry peaked in the 2010s and has continued to witness top tier cricket until up to 2026.
India Women’s National Cricket Team vs South Africa Women’s National Cricket Team Timeline
| Year | Major Event | Result/Highlight |
| 1997 | First ODI meeting | India won by 5 wickets |
| 2000 | Second recorded ODI meeting | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2002 | ODI series in South Africa | Both teams recorded wins; one match had no result |
| 2005 | ODI meeting | India won by 4 wickets |
| 2014 | Bilateral ODI and Test encounters | India and South Africa shared memorable contests |
| 2017 | ICC Women’s World Cup | India defeated South Africa in the group stage |
| 2018 | South Africa tour | India won important ODI/T20I matches |
| 2019 | Bilateral series in India | India dominated the ODI and T20I contests |
| 2021 | South Africa tour of India | South Africa won the ODI series 4-1 |
| 2022 | Women’s World Cup | South Africa won a crucial ODI in Christchurch |
| 2023 | T20I tri-series | India and South Africa produced competitive matches |
| 2024 | Multi-format series in India | India won the ODI series 3-0 and Test by 10 wickets |
| 2025 | Women’s Cricket World Cup | India won the final by 52 runs |
| 2026 | T20I series in South Africa | South Africa won 4-1 |
| 2026 | Women’s T20 World Cup | South Africa defeated India by six wickets |
| Dec. 2026 | Scheduled India tour of South Africa | One Test, three ODIs and three T20Is planned |
1997: The Rivalry Begins
India vs South Africa (first ODI) The first ever women’s ODI between India and South Africa happened on 22 December 1997 at Patna. The Indian side took an early 1-0 lead in the new rivalry, as India chased down England’s target to win by five wickets.
This meeting set the groundwork for a contest that was to become commonplace in international cricket a few more years down the line into much greater frequency.
2000: India Continue Their Strong Start
On November 30, 2000, India and South Africa faced off once again in an ODI at Christchurch. Another dominating win for India, this time by 8 wickets.
While the other meetings came fairly few and far between, India’s performances provided them a decent head-to-head record over the Proteas.
2002: Competitive ODI Encounters and First Test
The rivalry really grew in 2002 when the teams met several times in South Africa. South Africa thus won two and India registered a win each in the three one-dayers; while one was washed out.
In March 2002, the beginning of a new era as both sides met for their first-ever women’s Test match at Paarl. India marked the start of their red-ball rivalry with South Africa getting them over by 10 wickets in the Test match.
2005: Another Indian ODI Victory
March 26, 2005: Pretoria: India beat South Africa by four wickets. The victory marks another in a series of early ODI wins for India over the Proteas.
With the expansion of women’s international cricket, both sides would meet more and more in global competitions and bilateral tours.
2014: Rivalry Becomes More Frequent
Which in the 2014 period was an essential part of their better rivalry development. Asia: ODI and Test cricket season in India, whom South Africa beat by an innings and 34 runs.
The teams met in a three-match ODI series at Bengaluru in November 2014. The three teams could hardly be separated from each other, with South Africa winning the first match, India the second and then South Africa winning the third.
India later won a T20I by 16 runs between the two sides in November.
2017: World Cup Pressure
In the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, the rivalry quickly transitioned on to a grander stage. In a nail-biting contest in Colombo, India triumphed over South Africa by one wicket to claim the victory.
During the ODI series in Potchefstroom in 2017, India also registered its another seven-wicket win against South Africa. Another nail-biter followed, with South Africa edging a close match by eight runs and signalling just how competitive the rivalry was becoming.
2018: India Enjoy Success in South Africa
India vs South Africa: India had a successful 2018 campaign India had won the first two ODIs in February, by 88 runs and 178 runs respectively, before South Africa took out the third ODI by seven wickets.
The teams also featured in a five-match T20I series. India managed to win only four out of the five matches (with South Africa securing only in the third match).
2019: India Dominate the Bilateral Contest
In 2019, India added another big showing. India won all three matches in the ODI series in Vadodara, achieving emphatic winning margins of eight wickets, five wickets and six runs.
The T20I clashes in that year were also tight. India outclassed South Africa in the first three matches and eventually lost to the visitors by 105 runs in the fourth T20I.
2021: South Africa Turn the Tables
One of the most important chapters in the India women’s national cricket team vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline came in 2021.
South Africa hosted India for a limited overs series with 5 ODIs from it and Lucknow as the venue. South Africa opened with an eight-wicket win in the first ODI, India hit back to claim theirs by nine wickets, but then South Africa won three in a row to secure a 4-1 series win.
In a three-match T20I series, South Africa won two while India one.
That series showed the world that South Africa can be a competitive challenge to India on their home soil.
2022: World Cup Thriller
The two teams faced each other at the 2022 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Christchurch. This was after India had posted 274/7 in the match, before South Africa chased this down to win by three wickets.
It made this result actually essential, with the World Cup matches between the two sides steadily assuming greater importance for tournament qualification and knockout prospects.
2023: T20I Competition Continues
In January and February 2023, India faced South Africa in the Women’s T20I Tri-Series in South Africa.
India won the first match by 27 runs, while the second one was abandoned. South Africa went on to win the final against India by 5 wickets.
2024: India’s Dominant Multi-Format Run
The 2024 series would become the most memorable of this rivalry.
South Africa traveled to India for a multi-format series. India won all three matches of the ODI series in Bengaluru. Three ODIs were played between the sides: India winning the first by 143 runs, the second by four runs and the third by six wickets.
From 28 June to 1 July 2024, the teams contested a one-off Test in Chennai – the only historic Test. India won by 10 wickets.
The T20I series was a lot closer. The first T20I was won by South Africa by 12 runs, the second resulting in no result and India winning the third T20I by 10 wickets.
2025: Bookends in the World Cup Final
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India and South Africa made it to the final at Dr DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. At one point, India were at 298/7 with the help of Shafali Verma (87) (58), Deepti Sharma.
India bowled out South Africa for 246, despite a century from Laura Wolvaardt as Deepti Sharma took five wickets on day one. In the end, it won by 52 runs and made its first ever ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup title.
The two teams had met previously in the tournament, with South Africa winning by three wickets on 9 October 2025. South Africa chased down the target with Nadine de Klerk remaining not out on 84.
2026: South Africa Win the T20I Series 4-1
That rivalry was undiminished in 2026 with India touring South Africa for five T20Is in April.
South Africa won the first three, winning by six wickets, eight wickets and nine wickets. India won the fourth T20I by 14 runs, but South Africa took the fifth match by 23 runs at Benoni. The result meant the series ended 4-1 in favour of the Proteas.
Match five featured Laura Wolvaardt, whose brilliant 92 not out off 56 balls was a highlight of the series as South Africa reached 155/6.
2026 Women’s T20 World Cup: Another South African Victory
Group stage ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 India and South Africa were drawn in the same Group
21 June 2026 at Manchester – South Africa won by six wickets. Marizanne Kapp stepped up with the bat and ball. India finished on 158/7. She achieved figures of 2/27 and followed it up with an unbeaten 81 to take South Africa to a score of 161/4.
It proved how justified South Africa’s increasing confidence against India in T20 cricket was.
Upcoming: India Tour of South Africa in December 2026
| Date | Match | Venue | Format | Time (Local) |
| December 9, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, One-off Test | St George’s Park, Gqeberha | Test | 10:00 AM |
| December 16, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 1st ODI | Boland Park, Paarl | ODI | 10:00 AM |
| December 19, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 2nd ODI | Newlands, Cape Town | ODI | 2:00 PM |
| December 22, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 3rd ODI | Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein | ODI | 2:00 PM |
| December 26, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 1st T20I | Willowmoore Park, Benoni | T20I | 6:00 PM |
| December 29, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 2nd T20I | Senwes Park, Potchefstroom | T20I | 6:00 PM |
| December 30, 2026 | South Africa Women vs India Women, 3rd T20I | Senwes Park, Potchefstroom | T20I | 6:00 PM |
India Women vs South Africa Women: Rivalry Summary
The women’s cricket rivalry between India-South Africa has changed from local periodic ODI confrontations to multi-design fights in Tests, bilateral series and World Cups.
While India had their biggest moment in winning the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup final by 52 runs, South Africa responded powerfully by beating India in the 2026 T20I series (4-1) and then reaching further success against them at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.
They are juxtaposed results that have both proven neither side is an easy opponent anymore. South Africa as long have been a force in ODI cricket, whereas India particularly so in T20. More significant skirmishes, with the India women’s national cricket team vs South Africa women’s national cricket team timeline still in its infancy and an additional multi-format visit planned for December 2026.
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