A thumping five-wicket win for India and with it, they take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series.
Our correspondent Ashwin Achal pings from the venue:
The expensive Khaka gets one just right to remove Deepti. Full ball, moving in ever so slightly, crashes into the stumps. Deepti played all over it. Thrilling finish on the cards
- Harmanpreet hits pacer Shabnim for three fours in the 43rd over, and tilts the balance back in India's favour. With no third man, a couple of fine edges is all Harmanpreet needs to find the fence.
Mithali and Punam, the two set batters, out in a space of four balls. Both fell to poor shots - Mithali expansive drive going to sweeper cover, and Punam attempting a dangerous scoop.
South Africa back in this contest, most unexpectedly. Mithali and Punam must be quite annoyed with themselves.
- Mithali brings up her fifty, the crowd cheers, but with no scoreboard at the ground, she isn't aware of the milestone. She later gets a message from the dressing room, and then raises her bat to acknowledge the crowd.
- India cruising to a win. Mithali and Punam in the zone, while South Africa bowlers are short of ideas. SA desperately need a wicket to stay alive.
- Skipper Mithali Raj, with 20 years experience in international cricket, comes in to join Punam Raut. South Africa has been horribly inconsistent - spraying it all over the place. They've conceded 24 wides, in a total of 75.
- Priya Punia is late on a pull, and gifts short midwicket a catch. Pacer Shabnim's short ball gets up nice and quick to the chest, taking Priya by surprise. Priya, who made an unbeaten 75 in her ODI debut in the previous match, is annoyed with herself.
- Hilarious scenes as a lovely cheerful dog enters the field. Several security guards try to chase the dog, but it is much too fast for them. After hanging around near the boundary for a while, the dog makes its way out of the ground. Play resumes after this amusing break. The keeper Trisha Chetty, incidentally, shown up to be scared of dogs. She made a run for it when the dog came her way.
- A much improved batting performance from South Africa. Takes them to a solid 246 for 5. Won't be easy for India, on a pitch which has stayed low.
- Punam Raut drops a sitter at long on. Second chance for Mignon, who was on 33.
- Smart bowling from Ekta gets Lara. The batter charges down the track, and misses a flat delivery outside off. Keeper Taniya Bhatia, who has struggled to cope with the turn and low bounce so far, effects a smart stumping.
- Lara Goodall, who replaced Nadine for this match, is playing a brilliant cameo. She's strong with the slog sweep, using it regularly to tackle the spinners. India spinners will do well to keep it well outside off to Lara, who is a predominantly leg side player
- Laura out for 69. Gets good connection on a pull shot off Shikha, but finds Jemimah at deep square leg. The shot was on, but Laura couldn't get enough distance on it.
- No damage done, as Trisha falls to a nothing shot. Length delivery from Shikha, lofted straight up in the air. Jhulan walks in from mid on and takes the easiest of catches. Shocking shot from Trisha.
- Trisha Chetty gets a thick edge off pacer Shikha, which flies past keeper Taniya Bhatia. Taniya was late to react, and couldn't get a hand on it.
- Harmanpreet comes on to bowl offbreaks. She is wayward in her first, offering easy pickings to Laura and Trisha. Laura Wolvaardt brings up her 15th ODI fifty. She looks composed and assured. On track for a big one here
- As predicted, South Africa falls to flight. Lee throws her hands at an overpitched ball off the backfoot from Poonam, and lobs a catch to cover. Lee should have gotten well forward to that one.
- Positive start from South Africa. Lizelle Lee gets the first six of the match in the 11th over. Steps down and smashes spinner Poonam over midwicket. Left arm spinner Ekta Bisht, however, poses a serious threat. The batters are unable to gauge the generous flight and end up losing balance and lunging awkwardly.
TOSS UPDATE: India has won the toss and elected to field.
India Women (Playing XI): Priya Punia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj(c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia(w), Ekta Bisht, Jhulan Goswami, Poonam Yadav
South Africa Women (Playing XI): Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty(w), Mignon du Preez, Sune Luus(c), Marizanne Kapp, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Nondumiso Shangase, Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayabonga Khaka
HEAD TO HEAD IN ODIs: INDIA LEADS SOUTH AFRICA 12-7, while one game did not yield any result.
LAST FIVE MATCHES HEAD TO HEAD: INDIA HAS WON FOUR, WHILE SOUTH AFRICA HAS WON ONE.
PREVIEW:
The South African batters must get their act together in the second women’s ODI against India for the side to stay alive in this three-match series. In the first match held on Wednesday, the visitor crumbled to 164 and fell to a one-sided eight-wicket defeat.
A sound 64-ball 54 from the experienced Marizanne Kapp showed that there were no demons in the Reliance Cricket Ground pitch. Marizanne desperately needed someone to stick around with her, to make a push for a competitive 220-230 total. But it was not to be, as her mates
came a cropper to loose shots and impatience. Partnership-building is an essential requirement in ODIs, and South Africa needs to get this right on Friday.
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Priya Punia, bowlers hand host emphatic win
The Indian bowlers, on the other hand, showed good control and reaped the rewards. Pacers Jhulan Goswami (three for 33) and Shikha Pandey (two for 38) found success through movement, and the spinners Ekta Bisht, Deepti Sharma and Poonam used flight to test the batters’ technique.
Unlike the South Africans, the home team faced no difficulties with the bat. An injury to regular opener Smriti Mandhana gave Priya Punia the chance to make her ODI debut, and the youngster cashed in. She overcame the early nerves by being cautious, and finished with an
assured unbeaten 124-ball 75. The 23-year-old will be keen on building on a great start to her ODI career.
The small crowd, comprising mainly of schoolchildren, were entertained by a brisk 55 by Jemimah Rodrigues. The teenager started brightly in the second ball of the innings, working it past mid-on for a boundary. The shorts balls met with full-blooded cuts and pulls, and she also
ran well between the wickets with Priya. The South Africans need to get Jemimah early, even if that means running into the big middle-order guns – Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Where to watch?
The match will be telecast on on Star Sports 3 and Star Sports 3 HD . You can also watch the live streaming on Hotstar .
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