Last Updated on 19 seconds by Charbel Coorey

South Africa tried to take on Alana King in their World Cup clash against mighty Australia in a plan that backfired spectacularly.

Australia’s magnificent legspinner took the South Africans apart in an inspired spell. King took 7/18 in seven overs after a remarkable start where she took four wickets for no runs in the first 15 deliveries. In the process, King joined Ellyse Perry and Shelley Nitschke as players with seven-wicket hauls in ODIs.

It took her two deliveries to make an impact, dismissing Sune Luus. King found turn and bounce, and Luus, who had only been previously dismissed twice by legspin in ODIs in the last three years, miscued her slog-sweep to mid-on.

Later in her first over, King removed Marizanne Kapp, who attempted to drive a wide, flighted delivery, only to be caught behind square on the offside. King nearly dismissed Kapp in the previous delivery, with a leading edge just clearing the legspinner.

King then dismissed Annerie Dercksen and Chloe Tyron in consecutive deliveries to have unbelievable figures of 2-2-0-4. Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta did the unthinkable and hit boundaries off King’s bowling, but the champion bowler ended up dismissing them both with more incredible flight, dip and turn.

Fans full of praise for the brilliant Alana King

King’s 7/18 are the best-ever figures in a World Cup match and the best-ever figures by an Australian in ODIs.

Ian Bishop, who is a huge fan of King, was full of praise for the legspinner once again. “I just love watching Alana King play this game. A champion bowler and queen of legspin bowling,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“We have played a few games here. Knew there was going to be a little bit of spin, holding up a bit,” said King in the post-innings interview.

“To be honest, I’ve not change too much. I have got great coaches and teammates. I’ve just tried to be more consistent with my stock ball, and it has given me the rewards in the last 12 months. It’s a great team to be a part of. Amazing culture in our group, great self-belief.”

Australia rolled South Africa for 97 with Megan Schutt (1/21), Kim Garth (1/21) and Ash Gardner (1/19) the other wicket-takers in Indore. South Africa were 32/0 and 42/1 at one point before King took over.