NEW DELHI: India secured a thrilling four-run victory against South Africa in Bangalore on Wednesday, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the
ODI series
. The match witnessed spectacular centuries from
Smriti Mandhana
and
Harmanpreet Kaur
, who helped set a formidable score of 325 for three. The South African side countered with remarkable centuries from
Laura Wolvaardt
and
Marizanne Kapp
, but their efforts fell short at 321 for six.
India had earlier triumphed over South Africa by 143 runs in the first ODI on Sunday.
Riding on Mandhana's 136 off 120 balls, featuring 18 fours and 2 sixes, and Harmanpreet's unbeaten 103 off 88 balls, decorated with 9 fours and 3 sixes, India posted an imposing total. These were their seventh and sixth one-day hundreds, respectively.
However, South Africa staged a spirited fight back through Kapp's 114 runs off 94 balls, including 11 fours and 3 sixes, and Wolvaardt's unbeaten 135 off 135 balls, with 12 fours and 3 sixes. The pair added 184 runs off 170 balls for the fourth wicket. Despite their valiant efforts, the team could only muster 321 for six.
The pitch at Chinnaswamy Stadium stayed true to its character compared to the previous match, requiring Indian bowlers to maintain precise line and length to remain effective. They managed to do so, restricting the South African batsmen by picking wickets at regular intervals.
Pacer Arundhati Reddy, replacing Renuka Singh, provided India with a strong start by dismissing Tazmin Brits early on with a delivery that swung in marginally. Mandhana contributed with the ball too, claiming her maiden international wicket by getting Sune Luus caught behind by Richa Ghosh.
Wolvaardt and Kapp then came together and exhibited stellar footwork and shot selection to resist the Indian spinners. Kapp, who reached her fifty off 53 balls, was the more aggressive of the duo, marked by her powerful pulls off Pooja Vastrakar.
Wolvaardt offered steady support and reached her fifty in 69 balls, hitting a well-timed boundary to mid-wicket off Vastrakar. The duo's partnership accumulated 100 runs for the fourth wicket in 114 balls, with Kapp sweeping left-arm spinner
Radha Yadav
for a boundary.
Despite their measured approach, this partnership also increased the required run rate, which soon climbed past nine and then ten. South Africa needed 103 runs in the last 10 overs, a challenging task even with set batsmen at the crease.
Kapp, the enforcer of the partnership, went for a big hit against off-spinner Deepti Sharma but was caught near the boundary by Vastrakar, bringing a crucial stand to an end. Subsequently, Wolvaardt and Nadine de Klerk combined to add 69 runs off 41 balls for the fifth wicket, but it was insufficient as Vastrakar successfully defended 11 runs in the last over.
Earlier in the day, Mandhana and Harmanpreet's partnership of 171 runs for the third wicket significantly lifted India's total. Wolvaardt's decision to bowl first seemed justified initially as Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas found good bounce and movement under overcast conditions.
Khaka began with two consecutive maidens, keeping Mandhana and Shafali Verma in check. Mandhana opened her account after 18 balls and was dropped by Khaka on 69 off left-arm spinner Nondumiso Shangase.
Post Shafali's dismissal, Mandhana and Dayalan Hemalatha added 62 runs for the second wicket. Hemalatha, who struck two sixes off Shangase, was bowled while attempting a big shot off Klaas.
The arrival of skipper Harmanpreet swung the momentum back in India’s favor. The run-rate, initially sluggish at around four, soon soared past five and six runs an over.
Mandhana accelerated the scoring by hitting Shangase for three consecutive boundaries, including five fours across six balls, edging closer to her century. Harmanpreet, dropped on 41 by Klaas, quickly found her rhythm and hit Luus to start her scoring.
South African bowlers aimed to bowl wide off Mandhana’s off-stump to curb her free-flowing runs but made errors in line that allowed her to capitalize on boundaries. Mandhana reached her century off 103 balls with a single off Luus, and Harmanpreet followed with a boundary off Klaas in the final over.
Despite the aggressive fightback by the South African batsmen, India held their nerves to clinch a narrow win in a gripping last-over finish. The home team’s precise bowling and fielding efforts on the day complemented the solid batting performances, ensuring their series victory.
English (US) ·