Worth its weight in gold

Bengaluru, June 16

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Smriti Mandhana’s resolute hundred and a disciplined bowling effort, led by spinners Deepti Sharma and Asha Sobhana, piloted India to a huge 143-run win over South Africa in the first women’s ODI here today.

Mandhana’s sixth ODI century (117 off 127 balls, with 12 fours and one six) formed the fulcrum of India’s competitive 265/8 on a sluggish Chinnaswamy pitch. The Indian bowlers then worked their magic around the South African batters to bowl out the visitors for 122 as debutante leg-spinner Asha (4/21) led the show with a frugal spell and was well-supported by off-spinner Deepti (2/10).

6 ODI centuries for Smriti Mandhana. She is just one short of Mithali Raj’s record for most centuries for India in ODIs

166 Runs India added after the fall of the fifth wicket, the most they have done in a women’s ODI

I was mad with myself in the last five years. Whenever I played at home, I ended up scoring 70-80 runs and throwing away my wicket. Today, it wasn’t an easy wicket. So, pleased to get a hundred at home. Smriti Mandhana, player of the match

The message was to just be there and keep backing yourself. We have a long batting line-up, we have at least six batters who can bat for 50 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur, India captain

Pacer Renuka Singh (1/30) gave India the perfect start, dismissing the in-form South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt in the first over itself. The Indians soon fetched the wickets of Tazmine Brits and Anneke Bosch as the tourists slumped to 33/3. The experienced Marizane Kapp (24 off 39 balls) hammered Renuka for a four and a six, and tried to revive the innings with Sune Luus, who fought well with a 33.

But their fourth-wicket alliance of 39 runs consumed 68 balls as the asking rate climbed over seven, which never really came down thereafter. Asha ended that struggle when the leg-spinner had Kapp caught at covers by Harmanpreet Kaur.

Earlier, India’s script for victory was written by Mandhana, who thrilled the home crowd with a well-paced hundred. Mandhana stitched two significant partnerships with Deepti (37 off 48 balls, with three fours) and Pooja Vastrakar (31 not out) to take India out of trouble after the hosts found themselves at 99/5 at one stage. Mandhana and Deepti added 81 runs (92 balls) for the sixth wicket. Pooja, who had to leave the field later with a knee niggle while fielding, then assisted the Indian vice-captain to make 58 runs (54 balls).

Mandhana was forced to eschew her flair because of the team situation and the sluggish nature of the pitch, to which India’s top-order batters such as Shafali Verma (7), Harmanpreet (10) and Jemimah Rodrigues (17) failed to adapt, leading to their soft dismissals. — PTI

Brief scores: India: 265/8 in 50 overs (Mandhana 117, Deepti 37, Pooja 31*; Khaka 3/47, Klaas 2/51); South Africa: 122 all out in 37.4 overs (Luus 33, Kapp 24; Asha 4/21, Deepti 2/10)