Rangiora (NZ), Feb 27: India defeated South Africa by 2 runs in the ICC Women’s World Cup warm-up match here at the Mainpower Oval on Sunday.
Chasing 245, the Proteas fell short despite fantastic work from skipper Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt scored 85 off 96 balls including two sixes and seven boundaries before getting caught off Poonam Yadav.
Luus scored 87 off 96-ball and fell off Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Marizanne Kapp also chipped in with 40 off 52 deliveries.
For India, Gayakwad claimed four wickets. Meghana Singh and Poonam got one wicket a piece.
Batting first, India posted 244/9 on the board with the help of Yastika Bhatia (58 off 78 balls) and Harmanpreet Kaur (103 off 114). Captain Mithali Raj was run out after a mix-up with Bhatia for a duck. Early in the innings, opener Smriti Mandhana was hit by a Shabnim Ismail bouncer and was forced to retire on the score of 12. The opener didn’t return to field at the start of South Africa’s innings.
Ayabonga Khaka scalped 3 wickets. C Tryon, Masabata Klaas, Ismail and Luus got one wicket each. India will next play the West Indies in the second warm-up game on March 1.
