Match Report – IND-W vs SA-W 1st ODI, June 16, 2024
India265 for 8 (Mandhana 117, Khaka 3-47) beat South Africa 122 (Kapp 33, Asha 4-21) by 143 runs
Smriti Mandhana’s excellent century and a medical bowling efficiency led by Asha Sobhana headlined India’s large win as they went 1-0 up towards South Africa within the first of the three ODIs in Bengaluru, on Sunday.Mandhana’s 117, her first century at dwelling and sixth in ODIs, rescued the hosts after they opted to bat first however suffered an early collapse. India added 166 runs after the autumn of the fifth wicket, probably the most they’ve ever achieved in a ladies’s ODI, to push their complete from 99 for five to 265 for 8, which proved an excessive amount of for South Africa, who had an underwhelming outing with the bat on a floor that supplied variable bounce and switch.
The chase acquired off to a shaky begin as South Africa misplaced Laura Wolvaardt, the returning Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch for 33 runs. Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus chipped in briefly however not one of the batters may negate the spin risk beneath lights on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Asha, displaying no nerves on her debut, starred with 4 wickets to skittle the guests for 122, handing India a 143-run victory.
India’s oldest ODI debutant’s two essential overs
A month after making her worldwide debut at 33 within the T20Is towards Bangladesh, Asha was handed the ODI cap, turning into India’s oldest debutant on this format as properly. She was slotted in forward of the offspinner Shreyanka Patil. That Asha has the knack of selecting up huge wickets in stress conditions was well-known after the WPL. On Sunday too, she showcased that management and maturity to tilt the momentum in India’s favour.
After India’s pacers and Deepti Sharma strangled South Africa’s high order, South Africa slowly discovered a strategy to get again into the competition, because of Kapp and Luus’ partnership. The duo had batted for greater than ten overs after the autumn of the third wicket and India knew a well-set Kapp might be a game-changer.
Asha Sobhana picked 4 for 21 on her ODI debut•BCCI
Having bowled two overs for eight runs, Asha got here again for her second spell, within the nineteenth over. The legspinner began by conceding simply two runs, getting sufficient drift and switch to decelerate the scoring. After largely sticking to size deliveries in her first few overs, she floated one exterior off this time, gradual by the air, to deceive Kapp and pressure her to hit within the air in the direction of cowl the place Harmanpreet was stationed. A simple catch for certainly one of India’s finest fielders gave Asha pleasure, and her maiden ODI wicket.
In her subsequent over, Jemimah Rodrigues dropped Annerie Dercksen at level however a mix-up between her and Luus ended Dercksen’s innings as she was run out on the striker’s finish.
At 75 for five, South Africa have been all however out of the sport.
India rejig batting order
D Hemalatha and Rodrigues have been again within the XI. Rodrigues was coming back from a again niggle after lacking out on the Bangladesh T20I sequence whereas Hemalatha, on the again of fine performances towards Bangladesh, made her strategy to the ODI setup.
In India’s final ODI sequence towards Australia in December, head coach Amol Muzumdar had talked about that Richa Ghosh can be fitted to No. 3, with Harmanpreet and Rodrigues coming in after her. This was a deviation from her earlier position the place she was used as a finisher.
Nevertheless, on Sunday, with Shafali Verma departing early for 7, Hemalatha slotted in at No. 3. She perished after a 16-ball 12. Rodrigues and Harmanpreet have been India’s Nos. 4 and 5 and Ghosh again to the lower-middle order at No. 6. She survived 4 balls however was then caught behind for 3.
Mandhana at dwelling in Bengaluru
Ninety-two for 3 grew to become 99 for five within the twenty second over and India have been determined for an enormous partnership. An ODI after a niche of six months, gamers are sure to be rusty. However not Mandhana. She placed on a brisk 81-run stand for the sixth wicket with Deepti Sharma to elevate the workforce previous 250. Switching to the lengthy format, the India vice-captain curbed her aggressive intuition to play alongside the bottom to play lengthy.
South Africa denied straightforward runs for India’s batters, with the likes of Dercksen and Ayobhanga Khaka concentrating on a stump-to-stump line. However Mandhana countered properly, utilizing the crease every time the chance arose to play her pull and reduce pictures to fabricate runs. Although she and Deepti stored the scorecard ticking, there have been additionally probabilities to transform those to twos.
Mandhana hit 12 fours – seven of them on the leg facet – and a six. She was all readability and quietness. After 32 overs, she batted cramps on her strategy to hundred. Nevertheless it additionally pressured her to search out a number of fast boundaries and forgo the singles.
As soon as Deepti departed for 37, Pooja Vastrakar joined Mandhana and this pair stitched a 58-run stand off 54 deliveries to offer India the late push they needed. South Africa let their guard down within the final ten overs, conceding 74 runs, with the humidity additionally enjoying a significant component of their sloppy fielding.
Mandhana performed for 193 minutes and 42.3 overs total to make 117. In the long run, South Africa may publish solely 5 greater than her rating.
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
