India vs South Africa, 1st ODI, as it happened: Lee, Wolvaardt star in eight-wicket win for visitors

3.48 pm: South Africa’s Shabnim Ismail is the Player of the Match for her spell of 10-3-28-3.

3.44 pm: India captain Mithali Raj – “Some of the batters got starts but couldn’t convert. The bowling needs to be more consistent but this is understandable after the long break. A lot depends on game time If you get to play a few games, you come in with a lot of confidence.”

3.32 pm: The match ends with Harmanpreet Kaur bowling a wide. It was that kind of a day for the Indian team. Opener Lizelle Lee remains not out on a brilliant 83 off 122 as South Africa take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

SOUTH AFRICA WIN BY 8 WICKETS!

After 40 overs, SA 177/2: WICKET! India get another wicket with the scores tied! That’s quite the anticlimax. It’s Jhulan Goswami who strikes again as captain Sune Luus tries to work it to the leg side but gets a leading edge to cover. Goswami finishes with figures of 2/38 from her 10 overs.

After 39 overs, SA 172/1: Harmanpreet returns to the attack to bowl her fourth over and concedes three singles. South Africa are now just one hit away from winning the match.

After 37.1 overs, SA 169/1: WICKET! India FINALLY get the breakthrough thanks to a fine delivery from Jhulan Goswami and some poor umpiring. Laura Wolvaaardt is out for a superb 80 off 110 after being adjudged LBW. That yorker seemed to be going down leg. There is no DRS for this series and the umpire had no hesitation in raising his finger. Captain Sune Luus is the new batter.

After 37 overs, SA 169/0: Two more fours in the over, again! South Africa are finishing this off in a hurry. Both Lee and Wolvaardt pick a boundary each. Gayakwad bowled it short and wide and Lee played a superb cut shot that beat Harmanpreet Kaur at deep extra-cover. The left-arm spinner then drifted down leg and Wolvaardt swept it fine for another four. This must be demoralising for the Indian team.

After 36 overs, SA 159/0: Jhulan Goswami returns to the attack and concedes two runs in her eighth over. South Africa need 19 off 84. Lizelle Lee is batting on 71 off 110, while Laura Wolvaardt is unbeaten on 79 off 106.

After 35 overs, SA 157/0: Two more fours! Left-arm pacer Monica Patel, playing her debut game, returns to the attack and drifts down leg, Lizelle Lee helps it to the fine-leg boundary comfortably. Then, the fifth ball of the over is dropped short and Lee pulls it hard for four.

After 34 overs, SA 149/0: Two fours for Wolvaardt off Gayakwad! First, there were a number of fielders on the off side and they were all inside the ring but she cut it through them for four. The right-hander followed that up with a glorious drive off the front foot to beat long-off.

After 33 overs, SA 139/0: That’s the end of Poonam Yadav’s spell. She finishes with figures of 0/34 from her 10 overs. She’s India’s strike bowler and will be disappointed to finish wicket-less. Time for a drinks break.

After 32 overs, SA 136/0: Shot! Gayakwad drops it short and Wolvaardt pulls it in a flash for four. Another expensive over, seven runs from it.

After 31 overs, SA 129/0: Laura Wolvaardt survives! Poonam Yadav tossed it up and the right-hander went for the drive without getting to the pitch of the ball. There were two catching covers in place but the ball managed to beat a diving Harmanpreet Kaur.

After 30 overs, SA 126/0: Rajeshwari Gayakwad returns to the attack and concedes two runs in that over. Not much turn or zip for the left-arm spinner. South Africa need 52 off 120.

After 27.1 overs, SA 116/0: FIFTY for Lizelle Lee! What a way to get there too. Deepti Sharma returns to the attack and she thumps the off-spinner straight back to hit the first six of the South African innings. A half-century off 84 balls for Lee.

After 27 overs, SA 110/0: Just one run from that Poonam Yadav over. The South African openers are doing well to not commit to the front foot against the leg-spinner. They aren’t looking to go aerial either.

After 26 overs, SA 109/0: Big over for South Africa! Jhulan beat Laura’s bat with a beauty but the right-hander responded with the second boundary of the over by cutting one past point.

After 25.1 overs, SA 103/0: FIFTY for Laura Wolvaardt! The right-hander gets there in 70 balls and with an edge past the keeper for four. She has been solid from the start and played some classy strokes.

After 25 overs, SA 99/0: Wonderful delivery from Poonam Yadav and it beats Lizelle Lee’s outside edge. India need wickets, though. Two runs from that over.

After 24 overs, SA 97/0: Wolvaardt punches it to point and picks up two after the misfield. Top running between the wickets by the openers. SA need 81 to win.

The stand between Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt is the highest opening partnership by South Africa against India, surpassing the previous one of 76

After 23 overs, SA 95/0: If this spell from Goswami and Poonam doesn’t yield a breakthrough or three, the match is as good as over for India one could say. Poonam does get turn on most pitches with her overspin but SA openers are tackling her smartly by playing as late as possible. Both openers are in their 40s now.

After 21 overs, SA 89/0: Poonam Yadav has bounced back well after an expensive first over. But after a few overs of spin not yielding a break through, Mithali now turns to Jhulan for another spell.

After 18 overs, SA 77/0: The partnership is going steady at the moment as the pitch seems great for batting.

South Africa’s unbeaten opening partnership moves to 75 now They need 103 runs to win with a required rate of just 3.

After 16 overs, SA 74/0: Mithali has turned to her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur to try and get a breakthrough. At the drinks break, the SA openers are on song.

After 15 overs, SA 71/0: No joy for Poonam Yadav either. Lee picks up two more boundaries off India’s ace leg-spinner. Problems for Mithali and India.

After 13 overs, SA 58/0: Lizelle Lee in the zone! Three boundaries in the Deepti Sharma over and South AFrica have raced past 50. It was a fairly slow start by Lee’s standards but she has upped the ante too. If India’s spinners are going for runs, then this target is not going to be defendable.

After 10 overs, SA 37/0: Just the picture-perfect cover drive from Wolvaardt against Rajeshwari Gayakwad. What a shot! SA have made a really solid start here.

After 9 overs, SA 33/0: Spin from both ends as Deepti Sharma starts off with a maiden over.

After 8 overs, SA 33/0: Spin comes into the attack in the 8th over and Rajeshwari Gayakwad gives away just 1 run in the over – a clever, quick single from Lee

After 7 overs, SA 32/0: Superb start for South Africa this. First width on offer from Goswami, cut away by Lee. Then a fielder goes deep on the offside but when the veteran pacer strays down leg side, a glance goes for four legbyes.

After 5 overs, SA 22/0: Wolvaardt is a delightful player to watch and she plays another top shot for four through the offside. She is now the 5th fastest to get to 2000 ODI runs.

After 4 overs, SA 17/0: Monica Patel concedes another boundary, this time a superb drive through the offsifde by Lee.

SA 12/0 after 2 overs: SA have made a good start and it’s Wolvaardt showing her class with a couple of boundaries off debutant Patel. Two big appeals to finish that over, one for LBW and one for caught behind down the leg side but nothing doing. NO DRS today, in case you missed that earlier.

SA 4/0 after 1 over: Lizelle Lee can take the match away from India in no time if she gets going, Laura Wolvaardt at the other end with her. Lee starts off with a trademark cut for four over point.

Jhulan Goswami to start off

12.55 pm: Right then, time for the run-chase.

End of innings: India finish their 50 overs on 177/9 Not exactly a par score on a pitch that looked good and after Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur were set The scorecard doesn’t make for happy reading, Join us shortly for the run-chase.

After 35 overs: 141/4
After 40 overs: 156/6
After 50 overs: 177/9

36 runs in the last 15, 21 runs in the last 10. 

End of 50 overs, India 177/9: Poonam Yadav’s 9* takes India past 175. A disappointing batting performance at the top and back-end of the innings. Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur (to a lesser extent Deepti Sharma) the only positives.

Khaka to bowl the last over...

India 171/8 after 49 overs: De Klerk bowls a good penultimate over. Poonam Yadav is not known for her batting of course, and she tries to goes for a sweep that falls short of the fielder in the deep. Just a single in that over.

India 170/8 after 48 overs: Well, Monica Patel showing she can stick around with the bat in hand. A lofted drive down the ground for a couple of runs. Decent over for India, 5 runs there as Kapp finishes her 9th.

After 46 overs India 162/8: Finally, a run of the bat. After a while. In the last 10 overs, India’s score is 15/4.

Over 44.2, WICKET! Jhulan Goswami gone for 4. The runs had severely dried up for India and the veteran chanced her arm. But the wrong bowler to try and take on perhaps. Ismail does what Ismail does. Another wicket for the pacer. India 160/8.

After 42 overs, India 158/7: Jhulan Goswami can be handy with the bat and she is joined by debutant Monica Patel, a left-hander. India would do really well to reach even 200 from here.

Over 41.2, India 158/7: WICKET, SUSHMA VERMA GONE! And there it is, we are in the middle of a familiar Indian batting order collapse. The keeper-bat is livid with herself, after she dances down the track and finds the fielder at point. Last 26 balls. Six runs. Three wickets.

After 40 overs, India 156/6:

STAT ALERT: Since Jan 1 2018, India’s partnership average for 6th wicket or lower is 14.46. Only South Africa, Bangladesh and Ireland have a lower number than that in women’s ODIs.

The Batting Powerplay gets both set batters, leaving Sushma Verma and Jhulan Goswami followed by the tail on crease for the last 10 overs...

Over 39.3: WICKET, DEEPTI SHARMA GONE! This is going to be another lower-order collapse for India? A problem area for Mithali Raj’s team in the past, and we could be seeing it again. Deepti tries to paddle sweep Mlaba but is bowled. Another soft dismissal.

Over 37.5, WICKET! MITHALI RAJ GONE! That’s a big breakthrough for South Africa. The Indian captain walks back one delivery after reaching a half century. Mithali Raj out caught at point as she tried to steer a low full toss and just like Harmanpreet Kaur will feel she looked set to get much more here. That’s going to take a good few runs off India’s total. Ismail gets the breakthrough as she does so often for South Africa. India 154/5.

FIFTY for Mithali Raj! On her return to international cricket, the India captain scores a gritty half-century

After 37 overs, India 152/4: The 150 comes up for India. Almost a sensational catch at point by Wolvaardt. That would have been the catch of the year if she held on as Deepti cut one in the air. Mithali has moved on to 49.

After 36 overs, India 147/4: Brilliant shot by Deepti, who pounces on a short of length ball from Ismail and pulls it past midwicket for four. The momentum is back with India’s batters now.

After 35 overs, India 141/4: Mithali Raj is into the 40s and what a delightful way to get there. Down the track against Mlaba and the left-arm spinner’s length is perfect for her to loft over long on. In the next over, Deepti hits her second four, a wristy flick off de Klerk through the leg side.

After 33 overs, India 126/4: The scoring rate is slowing down here, not ideal for India. South Africa will be delighted to restrict scoring in the 30-40 mark, knowing another wicket will make it harder for India to cross 220 or so. De Klerk has come back well after some expensive overs.

After 30 overs, India 120/4 (Mithali Raj 37, Deepti Sharma 7): Khaka and Mlaba bowling in tandem now as India’s scoring rate remains steady at 4 RPO. They could use a partnership here at that rate for the next 10 overs or so. 250 would be a great target to set if India can get there, but there is not much batting left. Time for a drinks break.

After 28 overs, India 114/4: Mithali Raj into the 30s and finishes Luus’ over with a superb backfoot punch that races to the boundary for over. Another partnership needed her between Mithali and Deepti Sharma, the new batter in.

Over 25.2, WICKET! PARTNERSHIP BROKEN! Harmanpreet Kaur did not want to leave the field there. Looked like she wanted a time machine. Was batting so well, looked to take on Luus down the ground. It’s her strength too, taking on spinners with her bat-swing, but didn’t get the elevation. The SA captain is pumped! What a wicket for the visitors. Kaur out for a superb 40 off 41.

After 25 overs, India 101/3: The century for the team comes up and Harmanpreet is looking in great touch. Short ball from Mlaba, pulled through midwicket for another boundary. On to 40 now!

FIFTY-RUN PARTNERSHIP: A crucial one at that for India, after 40/3. Another boundary for Harmanpreet in that over as she is injecting momentum into Indian innings. Into the 30s at a superb strike rate. India 94/3 after 24 overs.

After 22 overs, India 83/3: Back-to-back boundaries for Harmanpreet off Nadine de Klerk and she looking in supreme touch in her landmark 100th ODI. First, a glorious straight drive and then a classy off-drive. Two shots that showed the bat sticker nice and clear, delightful.

After 20 overs, India 67/3: A runout to break the Mithali-Harmanpreet partnership would have been disastrous for India just when it looks like they are in rhythm . Massive mix-up there in that de Klerk over with the captain going back for two while Harman hesitated. The throw is to the right end but not the most powerful and MR is back in time.

After 18 overs, India 59/3: Momentum for India? A delightful punch off the backfoot by the vice-captain, and an equally delightful cover drive off the frontfoot by the captain. Kapp goes for a couple of boundaries.

After 17 overs, India 50/3: The Indian 50 comes up in the 17th over. Harmanpreet would be disappointed at missing out on a full toss from captain Luus in that over, could only find the fielder at long leg.

After 15 overs, India 45/3: The pressure is all on India at the moment, and they have their two most senior batters in the middle to deal with the situation. Harmanpreet is due a big international score, mind you. Luus brings back Khaka to join Ismail in the attack, sensing a chance for another wicket which would be a killer blow for India.

100th ODI for Harmanpreet Kaur and she has a tough task at hand, India under serious pressure from South Africa.

Over 13.3, India 40/3: WICKET, RAUT GONE! This is a superb short delivery by Ismail, one of her weapons. Raut goes for an instinctive pull, caught at fine leg. Out for 10 (29).

After 13 overs, India 36/2: Mlaba and Ismail bowling in tandem now. The pacer is continuing to hit a good length and got one to rise from a short of length area for Mithali. It’s a nice contest at the moment. The Indian captain then shows her ability on the backfoot, cutting late off Mlaba for another boundary. She is looking in good touch.

After 10 overs, India 29/2: Not the best of starts for India and perfect scenario for South Africa really, after winning the toss. Raut and Raj are generally slow starters in this format and South Africa will look to restrict run-scoring here as well as spin comes on in the 11th over, with Mlaba.

After 9 overs, India 28/2: Mithali Raj gets off the mark with a superb boundary in the 9th over. Three fielders chasing it but it has been played through the gaps with such finesse, it goes all the way. Khaka the bowler. The commentators reckon the pitch is drying up a bit now after early moisture.

After 7 overs, India 19/2: Kapp and Khaka are hitting the good length with great frequency and the pitch is offering decent seam movement, seems to be skidding as well. A rebuilding job for Mithali and Punam Raut.

Mithali Raj walks out to bat much earlier than she or India would have liked. It’s her first ODI since Nov 6, 2019. Replug of a data piece here on why she is a legend of the 50-over format.

Over 5.4: WICKET, RODRIGUES GONE! A superb catch at gully by Lizelle Lee as Kapp strikes! Outside edge, taken sharply while diving to her left. India 18/2 as Mithali Raj walks in.

Over 4.3: WICKET, MANDHANA GONE! A bowling change works for Sune Luus. Khaka into the attack and she provides the big breathrough. Soft dismissal. Short and wide, Mandhana went for a square cut but edged it to the keeper. Out for 14 off 20 balls.

After 4 overs, India 16/0 (Mandhana 14, Rodrigues 1): JR is middling the ball but finding the fielders at the moment, while Smriti Mandhana is also looking to steady after an excellent start. Surprisingly, no great swing on offer for two SA pacers who are good at that with the new ball.

After 2 overs, India 14/0 (Mandhana 13, Rodrigues 1) Another delightful off-drive for four by Mandhana as Kapp joins Ismail from the other end.

After 1 over, India 10/0 (Mandhana 9, Rodrigues 1): The first shot Smriti Mandhana plays on her return to international cricket is a cover drive for four. That was fitting! Tremendous timing. Plays another pull for four. Good start for India.

8.59 am: Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues to open. Shabnim Ismail has the ball in hand. We are all set.

TEAM NEWS: A debut for Monica Patel.

8.47 am: Harmanpreet Kaur is playing her 100th ODI today. A milestone match to restart her international career with.

8.40 am: South Africa have won the toss and will be bowling first.

8.35 am: The match is live on the Star Sports network and Disney+ Hotstar in India. We will bring you toss update shortly. Meanwhile, Women’s Criczone report that DRS will not be available for the series.

8.25 am: Hello all and welcome to the live coverage of the first ODI between India and South Africa. March 8, 2020. That was the last time the Indian women’s team stepped out on the field for an international match. March 7, 2021. It has taken a day short of one year for them to don the international colours again. Even further back, when you consider ODIs. It was in November 2019 that Mithali Raj last played. But that wait is finally set to be over today.

SQUADS:

INDIA: Mithali Raj (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Punam Raut, Priya Punia, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur, D Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Sushma Verma (wicket-keeper), Swetha Verma, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Jhulan Goswami, Mansi Joshi, Poonam Yadav, C Prathyusha, Monica Patel.

South Africa: Sune Luus (captain), Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty, Sinalo Jafta, Tasmin Britz, Marizanne Kapp, Nondumiso Shangase, Lizelle Lee, Anneke Bosch, Faye Tunnicliffe, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Mignon du Preez, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Tumi Sekhukhune.