IND-W vs SA-W: 5th ODI – Talking points from South African domination

South Africa have ended the five-match ODI series against India on a high with a brilliant victory in the final game. Having already won the series in the previous game, the visitors rested Lizelle Lee and a couple of other top players. But even then, they stood up to the task in all the departments to first restrict India to 188 and then chased it down with five wickets in hand to seal the series by 4-1.

Here are some of the talking points:

1. Mithali’s unbeaten knock

India skipper Mithali Raj continued her good form with the bat in this game as well. She came to bat at five and it was her knock that helped the team reach 188. Wickets were falling at the other end consistently which led to her taking a cautious approach throughout the innings. Raj remained unbeaten on 79 off 104 balls with 8 fours and 1 six as India were bundled out in the final over.

2. Superb Show from SA bowling attack

South Africa’s bowlers have been top-notch in this series and the same continued in the 5th ODI as well. It was a collective effort once again on a slow pitch from Kapp, De Klerk, Shangase and Sekhukhune who shared 8 wickets between them. They stuck to their lines and induced mistakes from the Indian batters.

3. Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s brilliant spell

India needed a special effort from their bowlers to defend 188. And Rajeshwari Gayakwad, opening the bowling, stood up to the task. She bowled three maidens on the trot to start with and picked two wickets upfront as well. She continued her tight bowling in the middle overs and made sure South Africa never got away easily. Eventually, she ended with the figures of 4/13 with four maidens in her 10 overs. Unfortunately, no other bowler supported her and her heroics ended in a losing cause.

4. Brilliant batting from SA lower-middle order

Mignon du Preez and Anneke Bosch have shared a half-century stand to stabilise South Africa after early wickets.

They are 81/3 in 25 overs, requiring 108 to win.#INDvSA ➡️ https://t.co/hiRNzC2ATM pic.twitter.com/w0P1U9tM7y

— ICC (@ICC) March 17, 2021

India collapsed after Harmanpreet Kaur got retired hurt and apart from Mithali, no batter scored. This was the difference between the two teams as South Africa had players like Anne Bosch and Mignon du Preez who smashed fifties after they were reeling at 27/3 at one stage. When the duo got out, Kapp and De Klerk stabilised the innings and finished the game in style too.