India crushed South Africa by 143 runs in their opening women’s ODI match on Sunday, June 16 in Bengaluru. The hosts’ dominance in the first half of the second game hinted at another one-sided contest. In a thrilling ODI match, the Indian women’s cricket team emerged victorious over the South African women’s team by a narrow margin of 4 runs. The Indian team, batting first, put up an impressive score of 325 for 3 in their 50 overs. South Africa fought valiantly but fell just short, ending their innings at 321 for 6. This win secured India’s 2-1 series victory in the three-match ODI series, showcasing their strong performance and resilience on the field.
Smriti Mandhana delivered a masterful 136 off 120 balls, building on her previous innings of 117 at the same venue. Her stellar performance was complemented by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 103 from 88 balls. The duo’s game helped India amass an imposing total of 325/3, leaving South Africa to rue their decision to bowl first.
Mandhana’s 136 marks her highest score in One Day Internationals, eclipsing her previous best of 135, achieved against the same South African team in 2018.
Harmanpreet Kaur celebrated her return to form by scoring her sixth ODI century, her first in nearly two years.
South Africa staged an impressive comeback, led by captain Laura Wolvaardt’s masterful unbeaten 135 off 135 balls, and Marizanne Kapp’s explosive 114 off 94 balls. Their partnership nearly steered the team to a thrilling victory. However, needing 11 runs in the final over, medium-pacer Pooja Vastrakar delivered a brilliant performance under pressure. She took two crucial wickets and conceded just five runs, ultimately sealing the game for her team.
Wolvaardt said: “I am just extremely proud of the group for getting us to the position we did. At the halfway stage, it was easy to go into a shell with that huge total on the board. Kappie did so well to take the pressure off the group. The final match is scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on June 23. After this, there will be a one-off Test match in Chennai. Additionally, a three-game T20I series will be held, concluding the cricket tour.
