India Women Triumph Over South Africa Women by 15 Runs in Sri Lanka Women’s Tri-Nation Series 2025
Colombo/Patiala, 29 April (Sports desk)
Date: April 29, 2025
Venue: R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Match: India Women vs South Africa Women, Match 2, Sri Lanka Women’s ODI Tri-Nation Series 2025
India Women secured a thrilling 15-run victory against South Africa Women in the second match of the Sri Lanka Women’s ODI Tri-Nation Series 2025 at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. A commanding batting performance, led by Pratika Rawal’s 78, and a sensational bowling spell by Sneh Rana, who claimed 5/43, powered India to their second consecutive win in the tournament, strengthening their position in the double round-robin format ahead of the Women’s ODI World Cup later in 2025.
Match Summary
Toss: India Women won the toss and elected to bat first.
India Women Innings: 276/6 (50 overs)
South Africa Women Innings: 261 all out (49.2 overs)
Result: India Women won by 15 runs.
Player of the Match: Sneh Rana (5/43 in 10 overs)
India Women Innings (276/6 in 50 overs)
India Women posted a competitive 276/6, driven by Pratika Rawal’s fifth consecutive ODI fifty, complemented by quickfire contributions from Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The innings saw a strong finish, with 82 runs scored in the final 10 overs, capitalizing on a batting-friendly surface.
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- Key Performances:
- Pratika Rawal: 78 off 91 balls (8 fours). The opener laid a solid foundation with her composed knock, continuing her remarkable start to her ODI career.
- Jemimah Rodrigues: 41 off 32 balls (5 fours). Her fluent innings injected momentum during the middle overs, stabilizing India after a mini-collapse.
- Harmanpreet Kaur: 41* off 38 balls (4 fours, 1 six). The captain anchored the death overs, ensuring India crossed the 270-mark.
- Richa Ghosh: 26* off 18 balls (2 fours, 1 six). Her late blitz alongside Harmanpreet boosted India to a formidable total.
- South Africa Bowling:
- Nonkululeko Mlaba: 2/55 in 10 overs. The left-arm spinner dismissed Smriti Mandhana (28 off 35) and Harleen Deol, but was expensive in the death overs.
- Nadine de Klerk: 1/39 in 8 overs. She removed Yastika Bhatia, keeping the economy tight in the middle phase.
- Ayabonga Khaka: 1/50 in 10 overs. The experienced pacer struggled to contain India’s aggressive finish, conceding runs in the final overs.
- Masabata Klaas and Chloe Tryon: Failed to make breakthroughs, with South Africa’s fielding lapses, including dropped catches, proving costly.
- Innings Highlights:
- Powerplay: India reached 60/1 in 10 overs, with Rawal and Mandhana starting steadily before Mlaba dismissed Mandhana.
- Middle Overs: A brief collapse saw India slip to 150/4 in 35 overs, losing Deol (15), Bhatia (12), and Deepti Sharma (10). Rodrigues’ counterattack revived the innings.
- Death Overs: Harmanpreet and Ghosh’s unbroken 50-run stand for the seventh wicket in the final five overs propelled India to 276/6, a total deemed above par on a pitch favoring spinners later.
- Pitch and Conditions: The R. Premadasa surface was high-scoring (average ODI score ~230), offering early pace but assisting spinners as the game progressed. Afternoon showers were forecast but did not disrupt play significantly.
South Africa Women Innings (261 all out in 49.2 overs)
Chasing 277, South Africa Women started strongly with a 140-run opening stand between Tazmin Brits and Laura Wolvaardt. However, Brits’ retirement due to cramps and Sneh Rana’s game-changing three-wicket over tilted the match in India’s favor, leading to a dramatic collapse.
- Key Performances:
- Tazmin Brits: 109 off 107 balls (12 fours, 1 six). The opener’s fluent century anchored South Africa’s chase until she retired hurt at 140/0 in 22 overs due to cramps. She returned briefly but was dismissed in Rana’s decisive over.
- Laura Wolvaardt: 43 off 75 balls (4 fours). The captain contributed to the solid start but fell to Deepti Sharma, triggering a slowdown.
- Annerie Dercksen: 30 off 20 balls (3 fours, 1 six). Her aggressive cameo kept South Africa in the hunt before Rana dismissed her.
- Sune Luus: 28 off 34 balls (2 fours). She provided resistance but was caught off Shree Charani’s bowling.
- India Bowling:
- Sneh Rana: 5/43 in 10 overs. The off-spinner turned the match with a sensational spell, dismissing Chloe Tryon (18), Nadine de Klerk (0), Dercksen (30), Brits (109), and Masabata Klaas (0), including three wickets in the 47th over. Her career-best figures earned her the Player of the Match award.
- Deepti Sharma: 1/40 in 10 overs. She removed Wolvaardt, breaking the opening stand and maintaining pressure with tight lines.
- Shree Charani: 2/48 in 8 overs. The left-arm spinner dismissed Luus and Nonkululeko Mlaba, contributing to the late collapse.
- Arundhati Reddy: 1/45 in 9 overs. She struck early by dismissing Lara Goodall (12), while Kashvee Gautam (1/50) removed Karabo Meso (8).
- Innings Highlights:
- Powerplay: South Africa raced to 70/0 in 10 overs, with Brits and Wolvaardt dominating India’s seamers.
- Middle Overs: The 140-run opening stand ended with Wolvaardt’s dismissal in the 25th over. Brits’ retirement at 140/0 shifted momentum, as South Africa reached 180/3 by the 35th over.
- Turning Point: Rana’s 47th over (45.5–47.4) saw Tryon, de Klerk, Dercksen, and Brits fall, leaving South Africa at 251/7, needing 26 runs off 14 balls.
- Collapse: From 240/4 in 45 overs, South Africa slumped to 261 all out in 49.2 overs, with Rana’s pace-off variations and Charani’s late strikes sealing the victory.
- Fielding: India’s fielding was sharp, with substitute Amanjot Kaur taking two catches, while Harleen Deol’s grab dismissed Dercksen.
Key Moments and Records
- Sneh Rana’s Heroics: Her 5/43, including a three-wicket 47th over, was the defining moment, marking her best ODI figures and the first five-wicket haul by an Indian spinner in the tournament.
- Tazmin Brits’ Century: Her 109 was the first century of the Tri-Series, though her retirement hurt South Africa’s chase.
- Pratika Rawal’s Consistency: Her 78 was her fifth consecutive ODI fifty, solidifying her reputation as a rising star.
- Pitch Dynamics: The Premadasa surface favored batting early but assisted spinners in the second innings, with India’s spin trio (Rana, Sharma, Charani) taking 8/131.
- South Africa’s Missed Chances: Dropped catches of Rawal and Rodrigues cost South Africa, allowing India to post a challenging total.
Post-Match Reactions
- Harmanpreet Kaur (India Captain): “The bowlers executed their plans brilliantly, especially Sneh’s spell. Pratika’s consistency and Jemimah’s knock set us up well. We knew defending 276 would be tough, but our spinners turned it around.”
- Sneh Rana (Player of the Match): “I focused on varying my pace, as the pitch was helping spin. The team’s belief kept us going, and those quick wickets changed the game.”
- Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa Captain): No direct quotes reported, but South Africa’s dressing room was described as disappointed after failing to capitalize on Brits’ century.
- Tazmin Brits: “I’m gutted to retire hurt; it shifted the momentum. India’s spinners bowled brilliantly under pressure.”
Impact on Tri-Nation Series 2025
- India Women: The win gave India 4 points from two matches (following their 9-wicket win over Sri Lanka on April 27), placing them at the top of the standings. Their spin-heavy attack and batting depth make them favorites for the final on May 11.
- South Africa Women: The loss in their tournament opener leaves them with 0 points, increasing pressure for their next match against Sri Lanka on May 2. They need to address fielding lapses and middle-order fragility.
- Tournament Context: The double round-robin format sees each team play four matches, with the top two advancing to the final. The series is crucial preparation for the Women’s ODI World Cup in India later in 2025.
Playing XIs
India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Shree Charani.
South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Tazmin Brits, Lara Goodall, Karabo Meso (wk), Sune Luus, Annerie Dercksen, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas.
