Women’s ODI World Cup: Live Blog – India vs South Africa

Nadine de Klerk has changed the complexion of the game by her strategic strokeplay. This is the first Women’s ODI in which both teams’ No.8 or lower batter has accomplished a fifty. Amanjot Kaur to bowl the penultimate over.

This game is not yet done. South Africa are fighting with every ounce of their energy and the scales are beginning to tilt in their favour. Nadine de Klerk roars 6, 6, 4 against Kranti Gaud. Harmanpreet Kaur is advising her bowler after each delivery. South African can smell blood.

The partnership between Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon was rattling along at more than a run-a-ball, and you could sense that India were feeling the heat as boundaries came thick and fast. The composed Sneh Rana, although, has snuffed out the alliance with the massive wicket of Chloe Tryon. She is out lbw for 49.

The asking rate is over 10 runs per over as we head into the business end of Proteas’ pursuit. An opportunity to dislodge the threatening Chloe Tryon was created by the on-song Sneh Rana but Smriti Mandhana was late to react at backward square leg and couldn’t get her fingers underneath the dying ball. She collected it on the volley, and realized immediately that she misjudged the catch.

She knows the onus is squarely on her shoulders to guide South Africa towards the finish line since her experienced partner is back in the dugout. She creamed a drive against Kranti Gaud while an over from Deepti Sharma has proffered South Africa some welcome extras. This is the last recognised batting duo for South Africa.

Gaud produces an inch-perfect yorker to net the big fish. Something special was required to upstage the set batter and India have managed to find that X-factor. Wolvaardt makes room and tries to negate the gem of a delivery but it sneaks under her willow before crashing into the base of the stumps. India needed that desperately as South Africa were gathering steam. A mighty fine knock from the South African captain comes to an end.

This match has all the ingredients for a delectable close finish. The partnership is starting to blossom and you can see the rise of confidence in Tryon’s batting. India were 130/6 at the same stage – so not much to separate the two sides at this juncture. Here’s the potent Kranti Gaud..

Chloe Tryon is providing able support to the well-set Laura Wolvaardt as South Africa look to make a game out of this. There’s still a long way to go but if this pair can kick on, some tremors might be experienced in the Indian camp.

She is standing between India and victory in Vizag. Consecutive 50+ scores for Wolvaardt against India in World Cups after her 80(79) in a successful 275-run chase at Christchurch in 2022.

Only 10 runs came between overs 21-25 as India choke South Africa with their spin pedigree. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur has introduced herself into the attack and South Africa seem to have gone into a shell. Albeit Laura Wolvaardt, the ultimate ray of hope, is approaching a half-century. It is interesting to note that India were in a similar position at the halfway mark.

Sinalo Jafta wants to tuck this back of a length ball around the corner but she has played the wrong line as the ball rams into her back pad. She is not a tall player, the contact was above the knee-roll and Shree Charani was thus convinced. The umpire raises the finger belatedly and the review is wasted too. South Africa have lost half their side, with their weakness against spin plain as day.

Despite an aesthetically pleasing drive from Laura Wolvaardt, Sneh Raha has conceded only 15 runs in half of her bowling quota. Jemimah Rodrigues put in the drive at short mid-wicket to try and latch onto a miscue from Sinalo Jafta but her acrobatic effort is to no avail. Meanwhile, Shree Charani continues to be ill at ease, having erred with her line to concede another boundary in her second over. The dew effect, perhaps?

Bunted back to Deepti Sharma and she grabs it. Anneke Bosch departs without troubling the scorers. Tossed up full outside off, Bosch plonks her frontfoot to drive but fails to ground the shot.

Sneh Rana is jubilant as her away-drifter sucks Kapp into the drive only to whoosh past her outside edge and cannon into the stumps. India have their noses ahead after that wicket but South Africa bat deep and they still have Laura Wolvaardt intact who can absorb the pressure adroitly.

Even though Shree Charani was greeted into the attack by an ebullient Marizanne Kapp, Rana is containing the South Africans proficiently from the other end. Her figures read 3-0-8-0.

Straightforward chance at point but the ball hits the palm of the fielder and she has shelled it. Kapp could not keep the cut down but lady luck has smiled upon her as she is still out there, tasked with the responsibility of anchoring the 252-run chase.

Edged and gone! Luus throws her bat at an away-decker and nicks behind. Richa Ghosh leaps to her right to pouch it cleanly. Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus were the top-scorers against New Zealand in the previous match but both of them have been removed for single digits today.

First duck for Tazmin Brits in ODIs, in 42 innings. Kranti Gaud with a stunning grab in her follow through to dent South Africa early in a challenging chase. Indians are cock-a-hoop. 109.5kph, length ball just outside off, Brits is down the pitch and drills it hard back to the bowler. Doesn’t bother to keep it along the carpet though and pays the price. Gaud sticks her left hand out to hold onto the thunderbolt. Great reflexes as the ball came towards her at a quick pace, giving her very little reaction time.

She was going at the rate of knots and a hundred was up for the taking but the magical three figures have eluded the star performer tonight. She concludes her knock on 94 off 76 balls as India stage a miraculous comeback to post a healthy total from a dicey 102/6. Much of the credit is due to Ghosh, whose confidence in her power game was apparent as she counterpunched to yank India out of a hole. Her crackerjack of a rearguard effort was laced with 11 fours and 4 sixes.

South Africa’s fielding has been slightly under par in the home stretch and both Richa Ghosh and Sneh Rana were handed a life. While the all-rounder eventually perished to the bowling of Marizanne Kapp, Ghosh has taken full toll. She picked up a slower ball to badger Tumi Sekhukhune over long-off and backed it up with consecutive fours off Nadine de Klerk.

Sneh Rana and Richa Ghosh are breathing life into the Indian innings and South Africa are feeling the pinch as a consequence. Ayabonga Khaka has gone the distance in her seventh over, a horrendous one to be fair. India pounced upon her loose offerings to thrust the scoreboard forward and now a total in the vicinity of 260 looks rather realistic.

India’s batting depth has come to their rescue once again in this tournament. The hosts were in a spot of bother when she made her way out to the center but this has been an innings of the highest quality. Richa has stuck to her guns and ushered India towards 200 when at one point they were at the risk of being shot out under 150.

The left-arm orthodox has been a force to be reckoned with so far but she bungled up her lengths in this over. She was lucky to get away with a full toss towards the end, but couldn’t escape the punishment previously when a drag-down was hammered en route cover by Sneh Rana, who walked out to bat after Chloe Tryon ended her amazing spell with the wicket of Amanjot Kaur.

She scored an unbeaten 35 off 20 balls to drive India to a competitive total against Pakistan and her team needs her to play an equally impactful innings tonight. The signs are promising, for she just cleared mid-wicket with an exquisite slog sweep and had the presence of mind to paddle a wayward delivery down to the fine leg fence.