Smriti Mandhana showcased her batting prowess with a graceful innings of 90 runs off 83 balls, leading India Women to a comprehensive six-wicket victory over South Africa in the third and final ODI of their series. With this win, India completed a clean sweep of 3-0 in the series held in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Mandhana's innings were a testament to her skill and consistency throughout the series, where she amassed a total of 343 runs at an impressive average of 114.33. She played a crucial role in guiding India past the target of 216 set by South Africa, supported by contributions from her teammates.
Opening the innings alongside Shafali Verma, Mandhana built a solid foundation with a 61-run partnership. After Verma's departure, Priya Punia (28 runs) continued the momentum with Mandhana, adding another 62 runs for the second wicket. Harmanpreet Kaur (42 not out off 48 balls) then joined Mandhana to ensure a smooth chase, forging an unbeaten 54-run partnership for the third wicket.
Throughout her innings, Mandhana displayed her trademark shots around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, including swivel pulls, cover drives, straight drives, and delicate late cuts. Despite missing out on a century when she was dismissed trying to sweep left-arm spinner Nonku Mlaba, her innings were crucial in securing India's victory.
Earlier in the match, Indian bowlers showed resilience after a strong start by South Africa, restricting them to 215/8. South African openers Laura Wolvaardt (61 runs) and Tazmin Brits (38 runs) had provided a solid start with a century partnership, but India's bowlers fought back admirably. Arundhati Reddy (2/36) and Deepti Sharma (2/27) were particularly effective, taking crucial wickets to derail South Africa's innings.
Despite a brief resistance, South Africa lost wickets in quick succession, collapsing from 102/0 to 215/8, unable to capitalise on their strong start.
Overall, India's comprehensive performance in both batting and bowling departments ensured a convincing victory and sealed the series sweep against South Africa, highlighting their dominance in the women's ODI cricket.