India 325/3 (Mandhana 136, Harmanpreet 103*, Mlaba 2-51) defeated South Africa 321/6 (Wolvaardt 135*, Kapp 114, Vastrakar 2-54, Deepti 2-56) by four runs
South Africa made a great start with the ball
The way South Africa started bowling, it was expected that India would be restricted to 230-240 runs.
The second ODI was played on a different pitch from the first ODI of the series, with a patch of grass and cracks clearly visible on it. The new ball pair of Ayabonga Khaka and Masabata Klaas gave it their all on this pitch and put a lot of pressure on Shefali Verma and Mandhana. The slightly unstable bounce also made it difficult to score runs in the beginning. Mandhana really found her footing after only 18 balls.
After 15 overs, India were placed at 47/1 with him hitting just five boundaries and facing 72 dot balls.
Game-changing partnership
Batting at number three, Mandhana along with D Hemalatha scored 62 runs off 68 balls. Hemalatha was dismissed after scoring 24 runs off 41 balls and runs started coming only after Harmanpreet was dismissed.
The pitch had also eased by then and Harmanpreet and Mandhana put on a big 171-run partnership off 136 balls. Their centuries not only helped India recover from their slow start but also put South Africa in trouble (though not out of the game, as it turned out).
Mandhana played superbly and Harmanpreet showed what power and clever touch can do.
Mandhana picked up the pace, scoring 31 runs off the first 48 balls to reach her seventh ODI hundred off 103 balls and then adding 36 more runs. When the bowlers changed their lines, she kept moving around the crease and either cutting to deep point or pulling to the square leg area. During this, Mandhana also became the first Indian to score two consecutive centuries in women’s ODIs.
Harmanpreet did not have to start slow unlike her deputy. After scoring off 24 balls, she picked up the pace as her innings progressed. Unlike Mandhana, who scored on both sides of the wicket, Harmanpreet scored primarily on the leg side. Most of her total 70 runs came on that side, with four of her nine fours and two of her three sixes being hit in the midwicket region.
Mieke de Ridder, who replaced South Africa’s first-choice wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta after she suffered a minor injury on the eve of the match, missed a stumping chance off the second ball of the final over when Harmanpreet was on 88. That allowed Harmanpreet to complete her sixth ODI century, the first in nearly two years, and she managed to reach three figures by making 4, 6 and 4.
South Africa lost momentum, with Wolvaardt also bringing in legspinning-allrounder Sune Luus – who was bowling in ODIs after a gap of two years – into the attack. However, they could not stop India, who scored 118 runs in the last ten overs.
Kapp and Wolvaardt return
Senior players Kaap and Wolvaardt were firm and determined in their goal.
This is South Africa’s second-last series in the 2022-25 Women’s Championship cycle, they need two wins from six to ensure automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup in India. They had already lost the opening game, and needed points here. They will now play England at home.
South Africa did not have a good start, losing three wickets for 67 runs in 15 overs. However, unlike Sunday, the pitch was helpful for the batsmen as the Indian spinners were not getting enough grip and turn in the light. This helped Wolvaardt and Kapp to settle down and then play big in the last 15 overs.
Initially they kept the scoreboard ticking, stopped the loose deliveries and took singles on good deliveries. This clarity and patience enabled both batsmen to capitalise on their starts and score half-centuries.
With 148 needed from the last 15 overs, the duo scored runs at a brisk pace. Even after Kapp was dismissed in the 43rd over by Vastrakar off a brilliant catch at long-off, Wolvaardt kept on running and hit the ball effortlessly.
Nadine de Klerk’s 28-run innings also helped South Africa get close to victory. But in the end, they missed out on victory.
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
