Image Credit- BCCI
Sunday’s first of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) between India and South Africa saw an incredible victory powered by Smriti Mandhana’s magnificent century and an impressive bowling display by Asha Sobhana. India was up 1-0 over South Africa.
The hosts were saved by Mandhana’s 117, their sixth century in One-Day Internationals and first at home, after they elected to bat first but collapsed quickly. After the fifth wicket fell, India scored the most runs in a women’s ODI history—166 runs—to raise their total from 99 for 5 to 265 for 8. South Africa, who had a lacklustre performance with the bat on a field that gave inconsistent bounce and turn, was unable to match India’s total.
Shafali Verma left early for number seven, therefore Hemalatha took his place at number three. She died following a 16-ball 12. India’s Nos. 4 and 5 were Rodrigues and Harmanpreet, while Ghosh was back in the lower middle order at No. 6. After surviving four balls, she was caught for three more.
In the 22nd over, India’s score dropped from 92 for 3 to 99 for 5, and they were in dire need of a significant partnership. After a six-month break, players are likely to be rusty in an ODI. However, Mandhana did not. She and Deepti Sharma put on a fast-paced 81-run partnership for the sixth wicket, propelling the team beyond the 250 mark. The India vice-captain controlled her aggressive tendency to play along the ground to play long after switching to the long format.
Mandhana scored a six and twelve fours, seven of which were on the leg side. She exuded peace and clarity. She batted cramping after 32 overs while reaching a hundred. However, it also made her give up on the singles and quickly set some boundaries.
Pooja Vastrakar joined Mandhana after Deepti left for 37, and the two cobbled together a 58-run stand off 54 deliveries to give India the late surge they needed. In the final 10 overs, South Africa let their guard down and gave up 74 runs; the humidity was a big contributing reason to their careless fielding.
Thanks to Kapp and Luus’s relationship, South Africa gradually found a way to re-enter the game after India’s pacers and Deepti Sharma had stifled their top order. After the third wicket fell, the two had batted for almost ten overs, and India knew that a well-positioned Kapp could shift the course of the match.
In the 19th over, Asha returned for her second session of bowling, having gone two overs for eight runs. With just two runs let up in the first innings, the legspinner had enough turn and drift to impede the scoring. She floated one outside off this time, slow through the air, to trick Kapp and compel her to hit in the air towards cover where Harmanpreet was stationed. Earlier, she had mostly stuck to length deliveries in her first few overs. Asha was thrilled to get her first ODI wicket after one of India’s top fielders made an easy catch.
In her next over, Jemimah Rodrigues dropped Annerie Dercksen at point but a mix-up between her and Luus ended Dercksen’s innings as she was run out at the striker’s end.
At 75 for 5, South Africa were all but out of the game.