Snehasis Mukherjee in Dubai
India Women beat South Africa by 28 runs in a World Cup warm-up game in Dubai on October 1. This comes after a 20-run triumph against the West Indies Women in the previous match, suggesting that India Women are in good shape.
After being asked to bat first, India made a poor start. Shafali Verma was dismissed for a two-ball duck, putting immediate pressure on the team. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came in at No. 3, a position she is likely to occupy in the tournament. However, she couldn’t provide stability, managing only 10 from 11 balls at a strike rate of 90.90.
Jemimah Rodrigues tried to stabilise the innings, building a steady 40-run partnership for the third wicket with Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana wasn’t in the best of touch. Her struggles ended with a mistimed shot that was caught by Nadine de Klerk. Mandhana scored 21 off 22 balls. Shortly after, Jemimah was dismissed for 30, made at a strike rate of 115.38.
The middle-order stepped up, with Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh adding a crucial 70 runs. Richa hit the only two sixes of the innings in her 25-ball 36, finishing with a strike rate of 144.00. Deepti remained unbeaten on 35 off 29, helping India post a competitive 144 for seven after 20 overs. Ayabonga Khaka was South Africa’s standout bowler, taking a five-wicket haul, while the slow nature of the pitch made it challenging for the batters to time their shots.
South Africa’s chase started steadily, but Asha Sobhana’s breakthrough in the seventh over shifted the momentum. She dismissed Tazmin Brits, and soon after, Anneke Bosch was removed by Deepti. At the halfway point, South Africa reached 55 for two. Captain Laura Wolvaardt looked solid, scoring 29 off 26 balls, but her innings was cut short by Shreyanka Patil’s spin, further denting South Africa’s chances.
Asha continued her stellar show by dismissing Sune Luus, putting South Africa in a precarious position. Harmanpreet then added to the pressure by claiming the wicket of Nadine de Klerk. Shafali also chipped in with a wicket, as India’s spinners dominated the match. In the end, South Africa managed only 116 for six in 20 overs.
Brief scores: India Women 144/7 in 20 ovs (Richa Ghosh 36, Deepti Sharma 35 n.o, Jemimah Rodrigues 30, Ayabonga Khaka 5/25) bt South Africa Women 116/6 in 20 ovs (Laura Wolvaardt 29, Asha Sobhana 2/21) bu 28 runs.