India win quadrangular series after comfortable victory over South Africa

Sport360 staff 15:38 22/05/2017
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  • Leading from the front: Mithali Raj [Getty Images]

    A good all-round performance from India saw them defeat South Africa by eight wickets in the final of the Quadrangular Series in Potchefstroom on Sunday.

    After Mithali Raj won the toss and elected to bowl first in her 100th ODI as captain, South Africa were bowled out for just 156 despite a 73-run partnership between Sune Luus (55) and Mignon du Preez (30) for the third wicket.

    South Africa would lose their last six wickets for just 25 runs [from 131-4 to 156 all out], with Jhulan Goswami and Poonam Yadav starring with the ball for India as both took three wickets each. Shikha Pandey picked up two wickets, while Ekta Bisht and Deepti Sharma got one wicket each.

    In reply, India lost the in-form Deepti for just eight and when Mona Meshram was dismissed soon after, the visitors seemed to be in a spot of bother at 33-2.

    The experienced duo of Punam Raut and Mithali Raj were on hand to make sure that there were no more hiccups for the Indian team as they put on an unbeaten 127-run partnership.

    Raut scored 70 not out from 92 deliveries while Raj (62*) notched up her 46th half-century in ODIs as India won the match with 17 overs to spare.

    BRIEF SCORES

    South Africa 156 all out, 40.2 overs (Luus 55, Goswami 3-22, Yadav 3-32) lost to India 160-2, 33 overs (Raut 70*, Raj 62*, Kapp 1-22) by eight wickets.

    Player of the Match – Punam Raut

    Player of the Series – Deepti Sharma

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