After losing the final T20 International with a huge margin India made a strong comeback with a thumping 8-wicket win in the first ODI. The presence of seniors like Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj gave Indian squad a more experienced look. However, the debutant Priya Punia was the star for India with a compact unbeaten 75 to anchor the chase.
South Africa also had experienced players like Marizanne Kapp and Trisha Chetty back in the squad but their batting could not get going in front of the tight bowling from Jhulan and others. Jhulan provided the big blow by getting rid of Lizelle Lee on the first delivery of the match. There were few partnerships but Indian bowlers kept picking regular wickets with the highest partnership being 33 runs between Laura Wolvaardt and captain Sune Luus. Later Kapp anchored the lower order but did not get much support as she was the 10th wicket to go with a score of 54. Wolvaardt was the second highest scorer with 39. All five Indian bowlers picked up at least one wicket with Jhulan picking up three for 33 runs, whereas Shikha Pandey, Ekta Bisht, and Poonam Yadav got two each.
The debutant Punia and Jemimah Rodrigues added 83 runs in the opening partnership to make the chase very easy. Punia was not settled early in her innings and there were few mistimed shots and edges. However, Rodrigues was in excellent touch and scored a quick half century. By the time Rodrigues was out Punia was settled and she ended up with eight boundaries in her 75. She got support from Punam Raut who added 45 runs in the partnership before the experienced Mithali Raj finished the match with another unbeaten 37 runs partnership with Punia.
South African captain Luus used seven bowlers including herself with very less success. The two wickets were shared by the 6th and the 7th bowler Nadine de Klerk and Nondumiso Shangase respectively. South Africa will hope for a better showing in the second ODI on 11th Oct at same venue.