AI Simulation, IND-W vs SA-W | Mandhana, Kaur play game-changing knocks to help India Women beat SA Women

Pitch and Weather

The Vizag surface is expected to be a bit dry with a thin layer of grass, promising early seam movement under lights but excellent for batting as the game progresses.

The weather will be clear on Thursday in Visakhapatnam, humid (around 31°C), and the coastal breeze is expected to aid swing in the first ten overs

Toss

South Africa won the toss and decided to bat first.

Lineups

India Women XI: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh (WK), Shree Charani, Kranti Goud, Renuka Singh.

South Africa Women XI: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jaffa (WK), Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba.    

Match Report

After opting to bat first, the South Africa Women's openers, Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits, stitched a decent opening partnership of 62 runs in 12.4 overs. It was broken by the star Indian pacer Renuka Singh, dismissing Brits, getting her caught behind by Richa Ghosh on the fourth ball of the 13th over. Brits scored 41 runs off 58 balls, with five fours and a six. Following this loss, skipper Wolvaardt added another crucial partnership of 42 runs for the second wicket with Sune Luus (24) before the latter was trapped in an LBW off Sneh Rana on the first ball of the 23rd over. This blow to South Africa Women was also followed by another 47-run partnership for the third wicket between Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp (37). Wolvaardt went on to play a crucial knock of 73 runs off 10 balls, hitting six fours. These contributions helped the Proteas Women post 233/8 on the board in the allotted 50 overs. Renuka Singh starred with the ball for India, picking three wickets for just 42 runs in her 10 overs, including a maiden over. She was accompanied by Deepti Sharma (2/38) and Sneh Rana (1/40). These bowling performances restricted South Africa Women to a comparatively low total.

India’s run chase faced the first dent on the second ball of the sixth over when opener Pratika Rawal (12) was caught by Wolvaardt off Ayabonga Khaka. Following the early blow at the team score of just 28 runs in 5.2 overs, star opener Smriti Mandhana and number three batter Harleen Deol (27) stitched a stabilising partnership of 70 runs for the second wicket. Marizanne Kapp dismissed Deol on the fifth ball of the 18th over to break this partnership and give a big breakthrough to the Proteas Women. Then came a game-changing partnership of 65 runs for the third wicket between Mandhana and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. Mandhana’s valiant efforts came to an end at the individual score of 94 runs off 103 balls, with nine fours and a six. Her knock was followed by Kaur’s unbeaten 55-run knock off 63 balls, hitting four fours and a six, alongside all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s 19* (22). These knocks helped India Women to chase the target comfortably in 47.3 overs, scoring 234/5 and registering their third consecutive win in the ongoing Women’s World Cup 2025. Ayabonga Khaka, Marizanne Kapp, and Mlaba picked a wicket each for their side, but they couldn’t restrict India from winning the game. With this win, Kaur and Co. have also maintained their top spot in the tournament’s points table, with their unbeaten winning streak.

Player of the Match

India Women’s opener Smriti Mandhana won the ‘Player of the Match’ award for her sensational knock of 94 runs off 101 balls, with nine fours and a six. Besides that, she also stitched three match-winning partnerships with Harleen Deol and Harmanpreet Kaur

Scorecard