18 Jun Mandhana And Sobhana Lead India To Dominant Victory In First ODI
Mandhana top-scored with an impressive 117 off 127 balls (12 fours, 1 six), leading the home side to a total of 265/8 in their allotted overs. Sobhana, on her ODI debut, recorded remarkable figures of four for 21, helping to dismiss the South Africa Women for 122 with 12.2 overs remaining.
After being asked to bowl first by the hosts, South Africa started positively with the ball through the efforts of Masabata Klaas (2/51) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/38), who removed top-order batters Shafali Verma (7) and Dayalan Hemalatha (12), leaving India at 51/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Debutant Annerie Dercksen (1/60) added to the visitors’ joy by claiming the important wicket of captain Harmanpreet Kaur (10), putting the Indian batters under pressure to rebuild.
Mandhana then found an able partner in Jemimah Rodrigues (17) as they put together a crucial fourth-wicket partnership worth 37 runs before Rodrigues was brilliantly caught in the deep by Marizanne Kapp off the bowling of Nondumiso Shangase (1/54).
Shortly after, Ayabonga Khaka (3/47) struck, finding the edge of Richa Ghosh (3), reducing India to 99/5 in the 22nd over.
In another vital stand for the home side, Mandhana reached her half-century alongside Deepti Sharma (37), propelling India to 142/5 after 30 overs. The pair added an 81-run partnership for the sixth wicket, edging India towards the 200-run mark before Sharma played a Khaka delivery onto her stumps.
Despite losing her partner, Mandhana continued to showcase her composure and skill, marching on to her sixth career century – her first on home soil – with Pooja Vastrakar (31*) proving to be a reliable partner. South Africa eventually dismissed Mandhana for a well-played 117, with Klaas picking up her second wicket, leaving India at 238/7 in the 47th over.
Although India lost their eighth wicket in the penultimate over, Vastrakar and newcomer Sobhana (8*) helped the hosts conclude with a commendable 266/8 after 50 overs.
The Proteas Women’s chase began on the backfoot as captain Laura Wolvaardt (4) was clean bowled by Renuka Singh (1/30) in the first over. Vastrakar (1/11) and Sharma (2/10) then combined brilliantly to claim the wickets of Anneke Bosch (5) and Tazmin Brits (18), restricting the visitors to 33/3 in the 11th over.
South Africa managed to steady the innings with a 39-run stand between Kapp (24) and Suné Luus (33) before India made further breakthroughs which saw Sobhana and a run-out remove Kapp and Dercksen (1), respectively.
Despite the efforts of Luus and Shangase (8), along with an unbeaten cameo from Sinalo Jafta (27*), South Africa continued to lose wickets regularly. Sobhana picked up three of the final four wickets, wrapping up the innings on 122 all out and securing a resounding victory in the 38th over.
The second ODI will commence on Wednesday, 19 June at 13:30 local time (10:00 SAST) at the same venue.
Audio and video from the post-match press conference featuring batter Suné Luus may be downloaded here.
Proteas Women ODI and Test Squad – Outbound Tour to India (16 June – 09 July)
ICC Women’s Championship One-Day International Series:
One-off Test:
T20 International Series:
All times are South African Standard Time (SAST)
For media enquiries contact:
ENDS