IND-W vs SA-W: Mandhana-Harmanpreet show, Pooja’s final over hand India nailbiting series-sealing win in Bengaluru

BENGALURU

India survived an almighty scare as South Africa nearly chased down a women’s ODI record 326-run target before falling four runs short. at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday.

Pooja Vastrakar, who bowled the last over, had 11 runs to defend, and when Nadine de Klerk (28, 22b, 2×4, 1×6) edged the second ball past short-third for four, it seemed all over. But Pooja dismissed de Klerk and Nondumiso Shangase off consecutive deliveries — both slower balls — to leave skipper and centurion Laura Wolvaardt (135 n.o., 135b, 12×4, 3×6) stranded at the other end.

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A bye off the penultimate delivery brought Wolvaardt on strike. But with five needed for victory, Pooja bowled a dot ball to put India ahead 2-0 in the series.

Things seemed to be going extremely well for the host as Smriti Mandhana’s career-best 136 (120b, 18×4, 2×6) and Harmanpreet Kaur’s belligerent 103 (88b, 9×4, 3×6) had ensured a mammoth total. In reply, the visitors were even reduced to 67 for three in the 15th over, with Smriti claiming her first-ever ODI wicket.

But a 184-run partnership between Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp (114, 94b, 11×4, 3×6), and a 69-run association between Wolvaardt and de Klerk brought South Africa close.

Debutant quickie Arundhati Reddy, who replaced Renuka Singh and bowled a fine first spell, will heave a sigh of relief that the dropped chance of Wolvaardt at long off when on 88 didn’t prove costly.

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Earlier, the Indian innings in general and Smriti’s in particular, were masterclasses in acceleration. India scored five runs from the first four overs, reached 47 after 15, 207 after 40 before finishing on 325. Smriti, at one stage, was on 19 from 40 deliveries, brought up her half-century from 67, hundred off 103 before ending on 136 from 120 balls.

If her century in the first ODI was meticulously crafted, Wednesday’s was effervescent. On a batting-friendly strip, Smriti pulled, drove and cut in majestic fashion. She also achieved perfect symmetry — 68 runs and 10 hits to the boundary each on the off and leg-sides.

Harmanpreet wasn’t as refined and clear-cut but was equally effective. She scored almost two-thirds of her runs on the on-side, with the cross-batted club to cow corner her money shot. The manner in which she reached the three-figure mark was breathtaking as she smashed left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba for two fours and a six in the last over.

South Africa was shoddy in the field, dropping as many as three catches, fluffing two run-outs and a stumping. Smriti was reprieved on 69 and Harmanpreet on 41 and 88, mistakes that cost the tie.