The South African women's cricket team put up a commendable fight while chasing a target of 338 runs in a must-win match but ultimately fell short by 23 runs, resulting in their elimination from the tri-series.
In the run chase, South Africa's openers, Lara Goodall and Tazmin Brits, took to the crease. India’s Amajot Kaur opened the bowling and quickly claimed the wicket of Lara Goodall, who was dismissed for 4 runs off 9 balls.
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Following this early setback, South Africa took a moment to regroup as Tazmin Brits and Miane Smit formed a partnership. They managed to build the run rate and ended the powerplay with a score of 40 runs for 1 wicket after 10 overs.
Amanjor Kaur provides another breakthrough
The pair constructed a solid first-wicket partnership of 70 runs before Amajot Kaur made another breakthrough by dismissing the well-set Tazmin Brits for 26 runs off 42 balls, breaking the partnership. Deepti Sharma continued the momentum by dismissing Miane Smit for 39 runs off 54 balls. Suddenly, South Africa found themselves at 89 runs for 3 wickets after 20 overs. With Annerie Derecksen and Nondumiso Shangase at the crease, both batters showed resilience and managed to relieve some pressure with a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket, propelling South Africa forward in the chase.
When Pratika Rawal was introduced into the attack, she took the wicket of Shangase, giving India a further edge in the match. Meanwhile, Annerie Derecksen played positively, supported by Chloe Tryon, who quickly began to accelerate the scoring rate. At the end of 35 overs, South Africa stood at 188 runs for 5 wickets, needing another 149 runs to win.
Tryon and Dercksen Put Up a Valiant Fight
Chloe Tryon continued to battle in the middle, well-supported by Annerie Derecksen, who reached her fifty. Both added a significant 72 runs in 60 balls for the sixth wicket. However, Amanjot Kaur struck again, dismissing Derecksen for a well-made 81 runs off 80 balls. With South Africa's last recognized pairing dismissed, the team ultimately fell short by 23 runs.
Despite their valiant effort in a critical match, the target proved too high for the Proteas, as India remained dynamic in the field and frequently shifted the momentum during the second innings. India emerged victorious in this rain-affected match in Colombo. Jemimah Rodrigues was named Player of the Match for her impressive 123 runs off 101 balls, leading India to the top spot in the table. India will next face Sri Lanka in the final of the tri-series on May 11, 2025.
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