Ind W vs SA W | Spinners spin a web as India complete first whitewash since 2016

With the series already in the bag, the Indian Women’s team took on a South African team that was playing for pride. It was pace that did the damage early, with the trio of Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khakait running through the Indian batting order to restrict them to a meek total of 145. The only saving grace for India was the partnership of Punam Raut and Mithali Raj that tried to steer the ship after early inroads from the bowlers. But the main partnership was between Harmanpreet Kaur and Shikha Pandey. Their 49-run stand helped India somehow crawl to a total near to 150. 38 from Harmanpreet was the top score from the Indian side.

In order to defend a total of 145, early wickets were needed. But despite Pandey keeping things tight at one end with two maidens, the other pacers were slightly on the expensive side, handing the South Africans early momentum. This made the Indian spinners come into the game earlier than expected- in the eighth over. Ekta Bisht, Deepti Sharma, and Rajeshwari Gayakwad all chipped in with wickets as South Africa at one stage had lost all the momentum and were 4 wickets down for 54 runs at the end of 14 overs.

A captain’s knock beckoned and skipper Sune Luus tried to stand up for the team alongside Marizanne Kapp. The duo added a valuable 40 runs for the sixth wicket, keeping the Indian spinners at bay. But the Indian spinners always knew that this was the last recognizable batting pair in the South African line-up. After the dismissal of Kapp, things started to go in India’s favour. 

Ismail and Nundomiso offered an unexpected resistance to the Indian bowling attack as they threatened to take South Africa to an unlikely victory. But the golden arm of Harmanpreet Kaur removed Ismail, with the visitors needing nine runs to win with one wicket in hand. With the frontline spinners having finished their quota of ten overs, captain Mithali Raj took a gamble by throwing the ball to part-timer Jemimah Rodrigues. That proved to be a masterstroke as she grabbed her first ODI wicket by dismissing Tumi Sekhukhune, thereby giving India a thrilling victory. This will go a long way in boosting India’s confidence in defending low totals.

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