Harmanpreet Kaur’s Team India clinched their maiden World Cup title in style, beating South Africa by 52 runs in a thrilling summit clash at the DY Patil Stadium here on Sunday.
India’s young opening batter Shafali Verma, 21, delivered a fine half-century alongside opening partner Smrita Mandhana, as India posted an impressive 298-7.
In reply, South Africa were bowled out for 246 in 45. 3 overs with Deepti Sharma excelling with 5-39.
Earlier, when Shafali (78-ball 87) and Mandhana (58-ball 45) were busy posting their record opening stand, it seemed that the hosts would easily go past the 300-run mark, but some tight bowling and fielding by the visitors pegged them back in the end.
Interestingly, Shafali was no in the scheme of things when head coach Amol Muzumdar and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur initiated their plans a few months ahead of the Women’s World Cup. She was called in only as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, in the semi-final.
Though the final started two hours late, at 5pm instead of 3pm, due to some unseasonal rain, it did not affect Shafali’s approach. When SA skipper Wolvaardt put the hosts in, pacer Kapp (0-59) bowled a fine maiden over to Mandhana to kick things off. However, Shafali opened her and India’s account by dispatching pacer Ayabonga Khaka (3-58) for four between point and the cover region on the very first ball she faced. The first six of the match came off Shafali’s bat when she hammered pacer Nadine de Klerk (1-52) back over her head. After the 104-run stand was broken though, Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and Harmanpreet (20) could not do much thereafter. However, Deepti’s half-century (58-ball 58) shaped up India’s total. Batting at No.7 Richa Ghosh (24-ball 34, 3×4, 2×6) also played a vital role in setting the 299-run target.
South Africa’s openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits (23) began their chase cautiously, with just 18 runs off the first five overs, thanks to some disciplined bowling by India pacers Renuka Singh Thakur and Kranti Gaud. The hosts reached a steady 50 without loss in the ninth over before mid-on fielder Amanjot Kaur’s fielding brilliance sent back Brits with a direct hit.
Left-arm spinner Shree Charani then took her tournament’s wicket tally to 14 when she trapped No.3 Anneke Bosch (0) LBW in her first over. However, the experienced Wolvaardt, the competition’s top scorer became the most run-getter in any ODI World Cup edition going past Australia’s Alyssa Healy’s record of 509 (2022 edition). Part time off-spinner Shafali, the seventh bowling option, then took a return catch to dismiss Sune Luus’s (25). In her next over, she sent back Marizanne Kapp (4), caught bywicketkeeper Richa Ghosh leaving SA in a spot of bother at 123-4. Wolvaardt (101 off 98 balls), however, anchored the chase well and reached her century off 96 balls. Her departure in the 42nd over though was the beginning of the end for the Proteas, who folded up with 27 balls to spare.
One
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are the only Indian pair to put on 100-plus runs for the opening wicket in World Cup knockouts (women’s or men’s)
Brief scores
India 298-7 in 50 overs (S Verma 87, D Sharma 58, S Mandhana 45; A Khaka 3-58) beat South Africa 246 all out in 45.3 overs (L Wolvaardt 101; D Sharma 5-39, S Verma 2-36) by 52 runs