India survived an almighty scare as South Africa nearly chased down a women’s ODI record 326-run target before falling four runs short at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. Pooja Vastrakar, who bowled the last over, had 11 runs to defend, and when Nadine de Klerk (28, 22b, 2x4, 1x6) edged the second ball past short-third for four, it seemed all over.
But Pooja dismissed de Klerk and Nondumiso Shangase off consecutive deliveries — both slower balls — to leave skipper and centurion Laura Wolvaardt (135 n.o., 135b, 12x4, 3x6) stranded at the other end.
A bye off the penultimate delivery brought Wolvaardt on strike. But with five needed for victory, Pooja bowled a dot ball to put India ahead 2-0 in the series. Things seemed to be going extremely well for the host as Smriti Mandhana’s career-best 136 (120b, 18x4, 2x6) and Harmanpreet Kaur’s belligerent 103 not out (88b, 9x4, 3x6) had ensured a mammoth total.
In reply, the visitors were even reduced to 67 for three in the 15th over, with Smriti claiming her first-ever ODI wicket. But a 184-run partnership between Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp (114, 94b, 11x4, 3x6), and a 69-run association between Wolvaardt and de Klerk brought South Africa close. Debutant quickie Arundhati Reddy, who replaced Renuka Singh and bowled a fine first spell, will heave a sigh of relief that the dropped chance of Wolvaardt at long-off when on 88 didn’t prove costly.
Acceleration Earlier, the Indian innings in general, and Smriti’s in p.