In the 10th match of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, India’s batting woes continued as their top order collapsed once again, exposing a worrying trend of inconsistency from their senior batters. Facing South Africa, India’s experienced duo, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, once again failed to deliver when the team needed them most.
The innings began with cautious optimism, but South Africa’s disciplined bowling quickly dismantled India’s plans. Smriti Mandhana, who looked to be settling in with 23 runs from 32 balls, became the first big scalp of the day.
Dismissed by Nonkululeko Mlaba in her very first over, Mandhana fell attempting to go over long-on only to mistime her shot. The ball caught the toe-end of her bat and went straight to Laura Wolvaardt, leaving India reeling at 55/1. The dismissal silenced the crowd and summed up Mandhana’s recent struggles with timing and shot selection.
Consistency has been a glaring issue for Mandhana this World Cup. Scores of 8, 23, and 23 have failed to reflect her stature as one of the most experienced openers in the team. Despite getting starts, she hasn’t been able to convert them into substantial contributions, something India desperately needs at the top of the order.
The middle order offered little resistance either. Harleen Deol managed just 13 runs before Mlaba struck again with a classic left-arm spinner’s delivery, drifting in, turning away, and crashing into the stumps. India slipped further to 83/2, and what followed was a deeper collapse.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, too, endured another frustrating outing. Scoring only 9 runs off 24 balls, she fell to Chloe Tryon after a mistimed shot ballooned to Marizanne Kapp at backward point. At that stage, India were 100/5, and the pressure on the lower order intensified.
The dismissals of Smriti and Harmanpreet, two of India’s most experienced campaigners, highlighted a concerning pattern. Both have struggled to anchor the innings and capitalize on their starts, leaving India vulnerable against quality opposition.
As the tournament progresses, India’s success hinges heavily on their senior batters finding form. The likes of Harmanpreet and Mandhana have carried the team through many high-pressure moments in the past, but their current lean patch is costing India crucial momentum.
With tougher matches ahead, the team will need its senior players to lead from the front, not just with experience, but with runs. Otherwise, India’s World Cup campaign risks being derailed by the very department that was once its biggest strength.
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