Kimberley (South Africa): India produced a clinical all-round performance to thrash hosts South Africa by 88 runs in the first ODI of the ICC Women’s Championships at the Diamond Oval here Monday.
Opener Smriti Mandhana (84, 98b, 8×4, 1×6) played a strokeful knock while the pace duo of Jhulan Goswami (4/24) and Shikha Pandey (3/23) played dominant roles in India’s emphatic victory.
After India elected to bat, the left-handed Mandhana was always in control of proceedings and shared a 99- run stand with skipper Mithali Raj (45) to help India post 213 for seven in their allotted 50 overs.
Chasing 214 for a win, South Africa failed to stitch partnerships and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Skipper D van Niekerk (41) top-scored for the hosts. Pandey rocked South Africa early by removing opener Lizelle Lee (3), wicket-keeper Trisha Chetty (5) and Mignon du Preez (0) to leave them at 23/3 in 9.2 overs.
Spinner Poonam Yadav (2/22) then accounted for the other opener Laura Wolvaardt (21), while Goswami trapped Chloe Tryon leg before as South Africa lost half their side in 22.5 overs.
Marizanne Kapp (23) and Niekerk tried to resurrect the run chase but Yadav sent the former back to the hut and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad removed the home side skipper after they reached the 100-mark. Goswami then mopped up the tail.
Brief scores: India 213 for 7 (S Mandhana 84, Mithali Raj 45) beat South Africa 125 in 43.2 overs (D van Niekerk 41, Jhulan Goswami 4/24) by 88 runs.
