India’s World Cup campaign ended in heartbreak as they lost to South Africa Women in the last match of the group stage and were eliminated from the tournament. India were in control of the match at different points, but eventually lost track. With three to score off the last two balls, Deepti Sharma had Mignon du Preez caught at long on – only for the decision to be overturned by a no-ball. India lost in the last ball.
India were jolted by an early blow as Jhulan Goswami was ruled out just before the match due to a side strain. They also left out Poonam Yadav, and brought in Meghna Singh and Deepti Sharma instead.
India won the toss and started well, thanks to Shafali Verma, who hit the second ball she faced for a four, and three more in Shabnim Ismail’s second over. India raced to 30 in the first three overs and reached 68/0 after 10 overs. Verma reached her maiden World Cup fifty off just 40 balls. Smriti Mandhana then hit Masabata Klaas for a six off the last ball of the 14th over to take India to 90/0.
A horrible mix-up between the two openers in the next over cost India their first wicket, that of Verma, for 53. Yastika Bhatia did not last, but Mandhana and captain Mithali Raj added 80 to take India to 176 in the 32nd over. Chloe Tryon then brilliantly caught Mandhana for an 84-ball 71.
Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur took India to 223/3 in the 40th over, the former scoring another ODI fifty. With two senior batters at the crease, India seemed set for 300. But the South Africans, especially Ismail and Marizanne Kapp, bowled brilliantly, bowling cutters, changing pace, and slipping in the occasional short ball.
After Raj fell for 68, none of Pooja Vastrakar, Richa Ghosh, and Sneh Rana could get the scoreboard moving. Kaur stayed until the end to score 48 but India finished with 274/7, around 20 runs short on a batting pitch.
Indians started well in their defence when Lizelle Lee was run out brilliantly by Kaur early on. But Laura Wolvaardt continued with her good form and went past Meg Lanning to become the highest run-getter of the tournament. She played some brilliant cover drives and kept the pressure on India.
Wolvaardt and Lara Goodall added 125 in quick time before Rajeshwari Gayakwad spun one through Goodall (49) to have her stumped. In the next over, Kaur bowled Wolvaardt (80) through the gate, and captain Sune Luus, for 22. At that stage, South Africa required 93 runs in 84 balls.
With dew accumulating, Raj rotated her bowlers. The pacers, Meghna and Vastrakar, were not at their best, and India ended up bowling 38 overs of spin. As Mignon du Preez held up one end, Kapp (32 in 30) and Chloe Tryon (17 in 9) provided support.
South Africa needed 45 in five overs, but some good hitting from du Preez and Tryon took the equation to 20 in 18, and seven in six, before scraping through.
India 274/7 in 50 overs (Smriti Mandhana 71; Masabata Klaas 2-38) lost to South Africa 275/7 in 50 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 80; Harmanpreet Kaur 2-42) by 3 wickets with 0 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Mignon du Preez.