Twin centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur help India clinch ODI series against SA

It was an electric win for Team India last night as they edged past South Africa in a high-octane run-fest. With this win, the Women in Blue also secured the series with a match to spare as they took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match fray.

Winning the toss, South Africa women opted to bowl first. Smriti Mandhana got going right from the word go while Shafali Verma did play the perfect two to tango in the opening partnership. After Verma (20) departed, Dayalan Hemlatha continued the resistance while Smriti kept the wheels rolling.

Hemlatha fell for 24 but the introduction of the Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur up next is what entirely changed the game for the hosts. A 171-run stand between Kaur and Smriti saw India rocking the show with some terrific striking. Mandhana equalled the record of Mithali Raj, registering her seventh ODI ton as she became the joint highest centurion for India in women’s cricket.

Smriti fell for a well-orchestrated 136 while Kaur continued the charge for her women. Richa Ghosh joined her in the center and the duo clobbered 55 runs in the last four overs, helping India to 325/3. Kaur stayed unbeaten for 103 while Ghosh remained unbeaten for 25.

The Indian bowlers did get off to a feisty start as Arundhati Reddy got rid of Tazmin Brits (5) early while Deepti Sharma sent Anneke Bosch back to the pavilion for 18. Sune Luus couldn’t add much either as a surprising bowling maneuver from Harmanpreet that saw Smriti Mandhana bowl a couple of overs, claimed the former for 12.

Wobbling at 67/3, South Africa saw two of their finest take over the reins as Marizanne Kapp joined forces with her captain, Laura Wolvaardt. The duo added 184 runs for the fourth wicket before Deepti Sharma could finally produce the all-important breakthrough in the form of Kapp who fell for 114.

Despite Nadine de Klerk’s late lunge, her 28 off 22 wasn’t enough as Pooja Vastrakar’s excellent last over saw India clinch the thriller as South Africa fell short of the stipulated total by four runs. Harmanpreet Kaur was the Player of the Match for her unbeaten century.