Their confidence excessive after a complete series-levelling win, the Indian women’s cricket crew would look to achieve the upper-hand when it takes on South Africa within the third ODI of the continued five-match collection in Lucknow on Friday (March 12).
After dropping the series-opener by eight wickets, Indian women crushed South Africa by 9 wickets to draw parity. And come Friday, the Mithali Raj-led facet would look to carry on the momentum with yet one more medical show.
The Indian bowlers led the way in which within the second match after an atypical outing within the opener to bowl out South Africa women for a below-par 157. Veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami used her huge expertise to nice impact and picked up 4 African wickets.
“It was pretty challenging because I was coming back after a year, and playing a competitive side like South Africa. I was just trying to hit the ball on the right areas,” Goswami had stated of her efficiency.
She was ably supported by left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad (3/37) and Mansi Joshi (2/23) as India bowled out South Africa in 41 overs. Then Smriti Mandhana (80 off 64 balls) and Punam Raut (62 off 89) shared an unbeaten 138-run partnership for the second wicket as Indian women comfortably chased down the goal in 28.4 overs.
The rustiness that was obvious within the series-opener was shaken off within the second outing by the hosts, who appear to have gotten again their rhythm given the near-perfect efficiency to outwit the guests.
Goswami’s type will probably be essential to India’s probabilities. For South Africa, batting efforts skipper Sane Luus (36) and Lara Goodall (49) had been a optimistic. Their 60-run third wicket stand saved the visiting scorecard from being an entire catastrophe.
However, the Indian troika of Jemimah Rodrigues, Mandhana and Raut can be a troublesome problem for the touring bowlers. Mandhana was at her attacking greatest as she hit 10 boundaries and three sixes throughout her whirlwind knock, whereas Raut struck eight fours.
But the Indians can’t afford to take South Africa women evenly as they’re anticipated to bounce again laborious after the demoralising defeat.
Teams (from):
India women: Mithali Raj (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Punam Raut, Priya Punia, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, D Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Sushma Verma (wicket-keeper), Swetha Verma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Mansi Joshi, Poonam Yadav, C Prathyusha, Monica Patel.
South Africa women: Sune Luus (captain), Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty, Sinalo Jafta, Tasmin Britz, Marizanne Kapp, Nondumiso Shangase, Lizelle Lee, Anneke Bosch, Faye Tunnicliffe, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Mignon du Preez, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Tumi Sekhukhune.
Match begins at 9 am.
