Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and her deputy Smriti Mandhana slammed a century every and pacer Pooja Vastrakar bowled an outstanding last over as India Girls defeated South Africa by 4 runs in a well-fought second One-day Worldwide that led to a thriller and gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead within the three-match collection on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Mandhana struck a 120-ball 136, a century in her second successive match, and shared a 171-run partnership for the third wicket with Harmanpreet Kaur, who hammered an unbeaten 103 off 88 balls as India posted an enormous 325/3 in 50 overs. Opener Shafali Verma (20), Dayalan Hemalatha (24) and Richa Ghosh (25 not out) had been the opposite scorers for India as they made the many of the alternative after being requested to bat first by South Africa.
South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt scored a run-a-ball 135 whereas Marizanne Kapp blasted a 94-ball 114 to maintain South Africa within the hunt. However the guests misplaced the way in which within the final couple of overs and had been restricted to 321/6 in 50 overs as India gained the match which is a part of the ICC Girls’s Championship. Since, ladies’s ODIs began in 1973, that is the primary time that 4 batters have scored a ton in a single match.
South Africa had been struggling at 67/3 at one stage earlier than Kapp and Wolvaardt shared an outstanding partnership to not solely revive the innings but in addition increase hopes of a victory within the high-scoring slugfest.
Chasing an enormous 326, South Africa misplaced Tanzim Brits (5), Anneke Bosch (15) and Sune Luus (12) early and had been struggling at 67/3 within the fifteenth over earlier than Kapp and Wolvaardt got here collectively to lift 184 runs for the fourth wicket partnership and take them to 251 when Kapp was out. The 34-year-old Kapp hammered 11 boundaries and three sixes as she rescued her workforce within the firm of her skipper. Kapp reached her half-century off 53 balls and her century off 85 balls as she gained confidence.
Her departure to a catch by Vastrakar off Deepti Sharma, Wolvaardt, who accomplished her fifty off 69 balls and 100 from 119 balls, stored South Africa within the hunt as they reached the ultimate stage of the match needing 23 runs from the final 12 deliveries.
Nadine de Klerk blasted a six off Arundhati Reddy on the final ball as South Africa scored 12 runs off the forty ninth over. They wanted 11 runs from the final six balls bowled by Vastrakar.
The Indian pacer stored her nerve regardless of being edged for a 4 by de Klerk, bringing the equation to six runs off 4 balls, as she dismissed Nadine off the third ball of the match, getting her to supply a straightforward catch to Arundhati at long-on. Vastrakar then struck a decisive blow by sending again Nondumiso Shangase, caught by skipper Harmanpreet. South Africa wanted a six off the ultimate ball of the match however Wolvaardt might handle solely handle solely two runs as India gained the match by 4 runs.
Vastrakar completed with 2-54 whereas Deepti Sharma bagged 2-56 in her 10 overs. Smriti Mandhana took 1-13 so as to add to the century she struck.
Earlier, opener Mandhana etched her identify within the annals of ladies’s cricket historical past by equaling former captain Mithali Raj‘s all-time Indian file for essentially the most centuries in ladies’s ODIs. Mandhana’s good knock of 136 runs introduced her stage with the legendary Raj.
Following her century within the collection opener, when she scored 117 runs, the flamboyant left-hander continued her very good kind—her back-to-back centuries made her the primary Indian lady to attain this feat in ODI cricket.
The match started with a cautious begin for Mandhana, who was stored quiet by the South African bowlers through the first powerplay. India misplaced opener Shafali Verma early, leaving Mandhana to anchor the innings. She meticulously constructed her innings, reaching 19 off 40 balls earlier than shifting gears to dominate the bowlers. Her composed strategy paid off as she reached her century in simply 103 balls, ultimately scoring 136 off 120 balls.
Mandhana’s knock was adorned with 18 boundaries and two sixes, showcasing her means to each accumulate and speed up runs. Her efforts propelled India previous the 200-run mark contained in the fortieth over, setting a powerful basis for a formidable complete.
Supporting Mandhana on the different finish was captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who additionally slammed an 87-ball century. The duo’s partnership was essential in sustaining the momentum and placing strain on the South African bowlers.
Nevertheless, Mandhana was dismissed within the forty sixth over scoring 136 of 129 deliveries, making an attempt to hit Nonkululeko Mlaba over the duvet area.
Transient scores:
India Girls 325/3 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 136, Harmanpreet Kaur 103 not out; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-51) beat South Africa 321/6 off 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 135, Marizanne Kapp 114; Pooka Vastrakar 2-54, Deepti Sharma 2-56) by 4 runs.
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