Smriti Mandhana’s splendid 117 (127b, 12x4, 1x6) — her sixth ODI century and first at home — carried India to a thumping 143-run victory over South Africa in the first of three 50-over internationals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday.
Opting to bat first, India made 265, a fine recovery after being 99 for five at one stage. South Africa never looked like chasing the total, folding for 122 as debutant leggie Asha Sobhana, 33, finished with four wickets (8.4-2-21-4).
Skipper Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed in the very first over with Renuka Singh getting one to nip back and clip the top of off-stump. Pooja Vastrakar trapped Anneke Bosch in front before offie Deepti Sharma forced Tazmin Brits to slice to point.
HIGHLIGHTS: India beats South Africa by 143 runs in first ODI, as it happened
Marizanne Kapp resisted (24, 39b, 1x4, 1x6), but Asha floated one wide and had her caught by Harmanpreet Kaur at cover. Annerie Dercksen and Sune Luus (33, 58b, 4x4) soon followed Kapp and the contest was as good as over.
The lone bit of worry for India was the injury to Pooja, who went off the field in the 18th over after seemingly hurting her left knee. Smriti, in the post-match press conference however, said it could just be a case of cramps.
Earlier, during an afternoon when the sun played hide and seek, the visiting bowlers found some swing in the air and some purchase off the wicket. And the trio of Shafali Verma, D. Hemalatha and Harmanpreet was duly out trying the expansive.
India’s Asha Sobhana celebrates after the wicket of South Africa’s Ayabonga Khaka. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K/ The Hindu
Smriti, though, eschewed gushy shot-making and waited to execute some exquisite cover-drives, pitch-perfect pulls and a couple of smart lofted strokes.
The 27-year-old put on 37 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues (17, 28b, 1x4), 81 with Deepti Sharma (37, 48b, 3x4) and 58 with Pooja (31 n.o., 42b, 3x4). The half-century took 61 balls and the hundred 116, with the six over mid-on off medium-pacer Masabata Klaas to move from 93 to 99 her best shot.
South Africa didn’t help itself with some below-par ground fielding. It also conceded 17 extras to just one from India.
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