South Africa's women failed to capitalize on a strong start as Sneh Rana's impressive bowling performance of 5 wickets for 43 propelled India to victory in their second match of the tri-series.
Chasing a target of 277 runs, South Africa's openers, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, got off to a fantastic start, scoring 61 runs in the first 10 overs to conclude the powerplay. While Laura played a more passive role, Tazmin aggressively took on the Indian bowlers during this phase, setting a solid foundation for the Proteas.
As the partnership blossomed, the Indian bowlers struggled to contain the flow of runs. Although Harmanpreet Kaur attempted to adopt a more attacking field setup, the South African openers used clever tactics to exploit gaps in the field, leaving the Indians looking a bit off their game. Tazmin reached her fifty in the 14th over, helping South Africa accumulate 80 runs by that point.
The pair continued to build on their success, bringing up a hundred-run partnership for the first wicket. However, a significant moment came when Harmanpreet Kaur dropped Tazmin Brits on 68 runs at mid-off, marking the first real chance the Indians had in the field.
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Deepthi Sharma with the breakthrough
Deepthi Sharma eventually provided the breakthrough for India, dismissing Laura Wolvaardt, who scored 43 runs off 75 balls but had anchored the innings alongside Tazmin. Deepthi trapped Laura LBW, and the breakthrough led to a quick succession of wickets as Sneh Rana bowled Lara Goodall for 9 runs off 11 balls.Â
With renewed momentum, Indian bowlers tightened their lines and increased the required run rate, while Tazmin continued to score runs at the other end. She reached her third ODI century, and her teammates applauded her remarkable innings. Unfortunately, she later had to leave the field due to cramps, retiring hurt after scoring 108 runs off 105 balls.
Once Tazmin was off the field, the flow of runs diminished, and wickets began to fall regularly. Sune Luus, who had shown some fight, was dismissed by Charu Sharma after making 28 runs off 34 balls. Despite some struggles in the middle, South Africa’s players showed resilience, with Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen hitting boundaries and sixes, guiding South Africa to 245 runs for 4 wickets at the end of 45 overs, needing another 41 runs off the last 30 balls.
Sneh Rana wins it for India
Sneh Rana turned the tide for India by dismissing Chloe Tryon, and she didn't stop there. In a remarkable last over, she claimed three more wickets, including Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, and Tazmin Brits, who returned to bat only to be dismissed. Sneh completed her five-wicket haul, achieving figures of 5 wickets for 43 in ODI cricket while reducing South Africa from 236 runs for 4 wickets to 252 runs for 8 wickets in just 12 balls.
With 25 runs needed off the last 12 balls, Arundhati Reddy and Kashvee Gautham took the remaining wickets, securing India's second consecutive win in the tri-series. This match was a thrilling and challenging outing for India, especially after their one-sided victory over Sri Lanka in the first match. Meanwhile, South Africa faltered after a solid start, losing the match by 15 runs.
Sneh Rana was awarded the Player of the Match for her outstanding bowling performance.
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Stat Alert - Prathika Rawal:Â
Prathika Rawal became the fastest batter in women's cricket history to score 500 ODI runs in just 8 innings, featuring 1 hundred and 5 fifties to her name.
For detailed match summary of India vs South Africa
India vs South Africa 1st innings review
