IRE-W vs SA-W | 2nd ODI | Gaby Lewis leads improved performance by Ireland, but SA too strong in run chase
IRE-W vs SA-W | 2nd ODI | Match Preview | SPOTLIGHT: Lara Goodall
IR-W v SA-W | All-round Proteas beat Ireland by 8 wickets & claim series 2-1
IRE-W v SA-W | 2nd T20I | South Africa rout Ireland by 8 wickets to equalise series
An all-round bowling display led by the trio of Shabnim Ismail, Tumi Sekhukhune and Nadine de Klerk has helped South Africa Women avenge the defeat that they suffered in the 1st T20I as the tourists thumped Ireland by eight wickets to force a decider in the three-match series.
IND W vs RSA W | Match Report: Shafali Verma packs a punch as India earn consolation win after series loss
The Indian team that took the field today at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium in Lucknow was totally different from the rest of the teams that played the rest seven games in the eight-match long tour of South Africa women. The players, mostly the same, at least from the last two games, had a different spark altogether in their body, the best among them being Shafali Verma. The 17-year-old hit a 30 ball 60 to make light work of the 113 run target set by the South Africans. The Rohtak born was so fast in her approach that she started the chase by hitting the best Proteas women bowler Shabnim Ismail for 18 runs in the very first over, only dealing in boundaries. It got even worse for South Africa as Shafali’s partner and India team skipper Smriti Mandhana too got into the attack and before Ismail or her Sune Luus could make sense of what had hit them, the Indians were off and running away with the game. The team fifty came up in just 26 balls and then the hundred in 55 balls. Although Shafali was removed, but not before hitting five sixes and seven fours in her innings. Mandhana continued the attack and got the team past the winning one in the 11th over only three consecutive fours to finish off the innings. She remained unbeaten on 48 off 28, while Harleen Deol, her partner was also not out on four. The 24-year-old Mandhana hit seven fours in her innings. Earlier in the day, India finally won a toss in the T20I series and decided to field first. Complimenting that decision was Rajeshwari Gayakwad, who with her left arm spin choked the South African batting line of runs and picked up three crucial wickets, breaking the backbone of Luus’ side. Hadn’t it been for the death over hitting from Lara Goodall (25 off 17) and Sinalo Jafta (16 off 9), it wouldn’t looked impossible for South Africa to even cross the 100 mark. Along with Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy and Simran Dil Bahadur too picked a wicket each. Harleen remained the only Indian bowler not to have taken a wicket in the innings. South Africa, even after losing this game went on to win the series 2-1 and added another feather to their already shining cap, having decimated Indian eves in the preceding ODI series 4-1. This also ended the South Africa Women’s India tour.
Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana lead India’s comeback in ODI series vs South Africa
It was Jhulan Goswami show on display in batting while Smiriti Mandhana stole the show in batting to thrash South Africa in the second game of the five-match series. Jhulan was at her vintage best as she broke two partnerships in her two spells, eventually claiming four wickets for 42 runs in her 10 overs. Mandhana, 24, was at her very best as India started the chase of a modest 158. She and Jemimah Rodriguez got India to a brisk start making 22 in the first four overs. Jemimah though got out trying to pull a boat down the leg and chopping it on to her stumps, Mandhana continued on her way. She was joined by Punam Raut and the two carried on till India eventually won the game and levelled the series. Mandhana, on her way to 80 off 64 balls also became the most accomplished female opening batsman of India, going past Jaya Sharma’s tally of 2039. While Jaya had scored those runs in 72 games, Mandhana achieved the feat in only 52 games. She now has 2119 runs in 52 games at an astonishing average of 44.15. Raut also brought up her 14th fifty scoring an unbeaten 62 as India chase down 157 in just 28.4 overs. Earlier in the morning, Mithali Raj, the India skipper won the toss and decided to field first. Manasi Joshi, making a comeback into the Indian team gave early blows to South African eves along with Jhulan. However, after the fall of those two wickets, skipper Sune Luus and Lara Goodall added 60 runs trying to steady the ship. But Jhulan came back to break the partnership and once it was broken, the floodgates opened and Indian bowlers kept on striking one after the other. Goodall was the highest scorer for women in green and yellow, getting removed for 49 by Harmanpreet Kaur. Apart from Jhulan’s four-for, Rajeshwari Gayakwad took three wickets while Joshi picked up two. With this win at the Atal Bihari Bajpayee stadium, Indian eves have now levelled the five-match series and the two teams would now faceoff in the third game on 12th March at the same venue.