SA Women beat India Women, win series 4-1: Records broken
South Africa Women have defeated Team India in the fifth and final ODI by five wickets. With this, the visitors have clinched the five-match series 4-1. They managed to chase 189 despite Rajeshwari Gayakwad's brilliant effort to restrict them. While Mignon du Preez and Anne Bosch steadied their ship, Marizanne Kapp and Nadine de Klerk added the finishing touch. Here are the records broken.
How did the match pan out?
India Women suffered another batting failure after the visitors invited them to bat. The likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj kept them afloat before the former got retired hurt (30). Although India perished on 188/9 (49.3), Mithali fought till the end with an unbeaten 79. In reply, SAW too got reduced to 27/3, however, Mignon du Preez and Anne Bosch powered their run-chase.
South Africa Women struggled in the first 10 overs
South Africa Women didn't cross the 10-run mark until the seventh over. After the first 10 overs, their score read 27/2. This has become the lowest total for them in the first powerplay in their last 20 ODIs.
Indian openers didn't fire in the series
The Indian openers were completely out of touch in the ODI series. This has been a reason for India's constant batting failures of late. In the final ODI, the likes of Smriti Mandhana (18) and Priya Punia (18) shared a 26-run stand for the first wicket before Punia departed. Interestingly, this was India Women's highest opening partnership of the series.
Gayakwad decimated SA's top-order
A fiery bowling display by Indian spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad dented South Africa's plight. The 29-year-old mowed down the South African top-order as India Women attempted to defend 189. She took three wickets and gave away mere 13 runs in 10 overs. The left-arm spinner delivered as many as four maidens in the match, however, the others remained ineffective.
Bosch scripts this feat for SA Women
After the first powerplay, the likes of du Preez and Bosch stabilized SA's innings. The duo shared a 96-run stand, that took the South Africans forward. While du Preez fired a 100-ball 57, Bosch slammed 58 off 70 deliveries. Notably, Bosch became the fifth South African to make a half-century in the ODI series. Thereafter, Kapp (36*) and de Klerk (19*) finished the job.
Lizelle Lee: Player of the Series
South Africa Women opener Lizelle Lee was named the Player of the Series for her sublime run. She topped the runs tally with 288 at 144.00 in four games. She also became the top-ranked batter in the ICC Women's ODI Batting Rankings on Tuesday.
