Smriti Mandhana, Shikha Pandey and Jhulan Goswami star as India beat South Africa by 88 runs in the first game of a three-match ODI series in Kimberley.
But the breakthrough only brought Indian captain Mithali Raj, who is ranked 1st in the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Women’s Batting Rankings, to the crease and she built an excellent 99-run stand with Mandhana, with the duo moving the score along steadily.
Khaka struck again to remove Mandhana and from 154/2 in the 36th over, South Africa’s bowlers and fielders did well to turn up the pressure. Raj was bowled by Masabata Klaas (1/36) before two run-outs did for Veda Krishnamurthy and Deepti Sharma in quick succession to leave India 168/5.
The world’s top-ranked ODI bowler Marizanne Kapp (2/26) then finished her economical spell of with two wickets to restrict India to 213/7 – a score the hosts would have been confident of chasing.
India’s opening bowlers Pandey and Goswami were outstanding. Pandey knocked the head off South Africa’s batting order, taking the opening three wickets to leave the hosts 23/3. The Proteas tried to re-build but Poonam Yadav (2/22) chipped in to see off Wolvaardt and Kaap before Goswami returned to clean up the tail-end and secure the win.
South Africa will look to bounce back when the two sides face off in the second ODI at the same ground on Wednesday 7 February.