India outplayed South Africa to win 2-1 in the recently concluded 3-match One Day series held in South Africa. At the end of the series, also part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2017-21, India with 4 points are in second place behind West Indies in the Championship Table. South Africa sit at the seventh place with 2 points. Here’s a roundup of the series.
First ODI: Kimberley, Feb 5 2018
India 213/7
Mandhana 84, Raj 45 Kapp 2-26, Khaka 2-47
beat
South Africa 125/10
van Niekerk 41 Goswami 4-24, Pandey 3-23
by 88 runs
India won the toss and chose to bat first. Thanks to Smriti Mandhana’s knock of 84 off 98 balls and captain Mithali Raj’s slow-but-steady 45 off 70 deliveries, India managed to put up what looked initially a below par total of 213 on the board. Run-out, Marizanne Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka accounted for two wickets each. During her knock Mandhana reached the landmark of 1000 runs in ODIs.
It seemed an easy total to chase down. But the Indian bowlers had other ideas. Shikha Pandey snuffed out 3 top-order wickets in her three consecutive overs to put South Africa on the backfoot. Poonam Yadav chipped in with the wickets of Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp. Only captain Dane van Niekerk scored a notable contribution of 41 off 88 balls. Jhulan Goswami then blew away the lower order to bundle out South Africa for 125 and start the Indian campaign on a winning note.
Player of the Match: Smriti Mandhana
Second ODI: Kimberley, Feb 7 2018
India 302/3
Mandhana 135, Kaur 55*, Krishnamurthy 51* Luus 1-31
beat
South Africa 124/10
Lee 73 Poonam 4-24, Gayakwad 2-24
by 178 runs
South Africa won the toss and despite the drubbing in the last match decided to field first. Their woes were to increase further. Continuing from where she left off in the last match, Smriti Mandhana put up an even more impressive display. She racked up 135 runs off 129 deliveries which included a staggering 14 boundaries. She was ably supported by Harmanpreet Kaur (55* off 69 balls) and Veda Krishnamurthy (a whirlwind 51* off 33 deliveries). Amidst the run feast, Dane van Niekerk conceded only 38 runs in her spell. India posted an imposing total of 302 for the loss of only 3 wickets.
South Africa cut a sorry figure in their response. Only Lizelle Lee (73 off 75 balls) at the top and Marizanne Kapp (17 off 28 balls) at the lower order managed to reach double digits. Jhulan Goswami started the slide with the wicket of Laura Wolvaardt. The veteran thus became the first woman cricketer to take 200 wickets in ODI cricket. Spinners Poonam Yadav, Deepti Sharma and Rajeshwari Gayakwad derailed the chase accounting for 8 South African wickets. South Africa were routed for 124 in only 30.5 overs. India thus won the ODI series with one match to spare.
Player of the Match: Smriti Mandhana
Third ODI: Potchefstroom, Feb 10 2018
South Africa 241/3
du Preez 90*, Wolvaardt 59, van Niekerk 41* Bisht 1-38
beat
India 240/10
Deepti 79, Krishnamurthy 56 Ismail 4-30
by seven wickets
Having already lost the series, South Africa must have been keen to avoid a whitewash. They proceeded to do just so, emerging victorious in the third encounter comprehensively by 7 wickets. India, on winning the toss, elected to bat first, perhaps to replicate their winning formula of the first two ODIs. Smriti Mandhana, centurion in the previous match, collected a 3-ball duck. It was a famine after tucking into a feast in the first two innings for her. All-rounder Deepti Sharma top scored with a patient 79 off 112 balls. Veda Krishnamurthy once again put in a useful contribution of 56 from 64 deliveries. Pacer Shikha Pandey’s 31 off 16 balls gave some much needed impetus to the Indian innings at the end. India were 240 all out in their allocated overs. Shabnim Ismail bagged the coveted wicket of Mandhana and returned later to clean up the tail. She ended up with figures of 4-30.
South Africa’s chase was built on the 118-run third-wicket partnership between Laura Wolvaardt (59 off 88 deliveries) and Mignon du Preez (90* off 111 balls). In the process, 18-year-old Wolvaardt became the youngest South African to reach 1000 runs in ODI cricket. With 63 runs needed off 54 balls, skipper Dane van Niekerk, who hit an unbeaten breezy 41 off 30 deliveries, and du Preez took South Africa home. Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht and Pandey all bagged one wicket apiece.
Player of the Match: Mignon du Preez
Player of the Series: Smriti Mandhana (219 runs)
