India women compile challenging 276 in ODI against South Africa

Opener Pratika Rawal struck 78 in 91 balls to lead India’s women to a challenging 276 for six wickets in their Tri-Series ODI match against South Africa at the R. Premedasa Stadium in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday.

This is South Africa’s first match in the series. India have already defeated Sri Lanka by nine wickets in their first match.

On a hot, humid day in Colombo on a slow, sticky pitch, the South Africans got a taste of what is to come in the women’s ODI World Cup on the sub-continent in five months. The South Africans had their moments but ultimately struggled to contain the Indian batters at the top and the bottom of the order, with India scoring 82 in the last 10 overs.

The openers, Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, provided the building block of the innings with an opening partnership of 83 in 111 balls, with Mandhana (36 in 54 balls) the first to go as she was strangled down the leg side, providing debutant wicketkeeper Karabo Meso with her first international catch.

Building on this start, Rawal and Harleen Deol then added a further 68 in 73 balls for the second wicket with Rawal becoming the fastest woman to 500 runs in women’s ODIs (in eight matches) as she struck her second consecutive half-century (her 78 included seven fours and a six) before she was bowled by left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Her dismissal signalled a good spell for the South Africans with Mlaba claiming a second wicket in consecutive overs when she yorked Deol.

After losing two wickets for three runs midway through the innings, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the ship while new batter Jemimah Rodrigues built momentum again with a breezy 41 in 32 balls as the pair added 59 in 58 balls. An entertaining cameo of 24 in 14 balls from Richa Ghosh followed, while Kaur stayed to the end for a steadying 41 off 48 balls.

The South Africans were sloppy in the field at times, dropping three catches, and they didn’t help their cause by bowling 13 wides. The most successful bowler was Mlaba with 2-55 in her 10 overs.

SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN: Laura Woolvardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Lara Goodall, Karaba Meso (wk), Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine De Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas

INDIA WOMEN: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani