India Women and South Africa Women will be playing the fourth match of the ongoing five-match ODI series on Sunday, 14 March. The visitors are already leading the series 2-1, and will want to pocket the series without having to stretch it to the final match. India, on the other hand, will have to win both matches.
South Africa Women won the third ODI by just 6 runs via the DLS method. Lizelle Lee controlled the chase for South Africa with an unbeaten 131 in 132 balls to clinch the second win for her side in the series. Chasing 249, she got support from Mignon du Preez (37) following mini-partnerships with Laura Wolvaardt and Lara Goodall. However, when rain stopped play in the 47th over, South Africa were ahead of the par score.
For India, Punam Raut built the innings after the third failure of Jemimah Rodrigues. Raut’s 108-ball 77, helped by contributions from Mithali Raj (36), Harmanpreet Kaur (36), and Deepti Sharma (36*), helped India Women set a respectable target.
Although Lee played her career-best innings, the decision of getting Kaur to bowl the 46th over remains questionable. Jhulan Goswami, who had yet another terrific outing, had an over left, and it had been drizzling for two overs. Lee hit two fours in Kaur’s over, which turned out to be a decisive factor.
Rodrigues’ form has been a worry. Her single-digit scores in the last three matches may convince India to look for a change at the top. Raut and Sharma are in form and have opened batting for India in the past; perhaps a change in batting order may address Rodrigues’s issues.
Goswami continues to spearhead the Indian attack even at 38. In the second match, she had scalped 4-42 to help India win by nine wickets. She followed that with 9-2-20-2. Had she bowled that tenth over, she might have decided the match in her favour.
However, the spinners have not lived up expectations until now. To strengthen their attack, India may include Radha Yadav, eighth on ICC T20 rankings but yet to make her ODI debut.
South Africa’s batting will depend on Lee and Laura Wolvaardt, the only batters to have crossed 100 runs. They have found support in Goodall, du Preez, and Anne Bosch. With six wickets at an average of 20, Shabnim Ismail is leading the bowling charts for South Africa. She is a wicket away from becoming the seventh bowler to take 150 wickets in Women’s ODIs, and five away from scaling third place. The experience of Marizanne Kapp will also be vital for South Africa, while young left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, with two impressive performances, can make a comeback to play a key role in the conditions helpful for her.
Predicted XIs
India Women: Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Sushma Verma (wk), Poonam Yadav, Jhulan Goswami, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Mansi Joshi
South Africa Women: Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt (c), Lara Goodall, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Anne Bosch, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune