Opener Lizelle Lee almost single-handedly took South Africa home with a career-best unbeaten 132 as India lost by six runs via the DLS method in the rain-marred third One-day International on Friday in Lucknow.
The visitors, missing four of their first-team players including captain Sune Luus in the match, now lead the five-match series 2-1.
Chasing a competitive 249, Lee ensured her team kept up with the required rate, which eventually proved crucial after rain came in with the visitors at 223/4 in 46.3 overs, six ahead of India via the DLS method. It was anyone’s game till the covers came in after a sudden change in weather.
India vs South Africa, 3rd ODI as it happened: Lee’s unbeaten ton powers visitors to 2-1 series lead
Earlier, Punam Raut struck a second successive half-century – 77 off 108 balls – to power India to their biggest ODI total at home since 2013. Also, India skipper Mithali Raj (36) became just the second woman to score 10,000 international runs during a 77-run third wicket stand with Raut.
South Africa were off to a decent start in their chase with the pair of Lee and stand-in skipper Laura Wolvaardt (12) adding 41 runs for the opening wicket. After Wolvaardt was cleaned up by off-spinner Depti Sharma, Lara Goodall (16) and Lee took the innings forward with a 40-run stand for the second wicket. Later, veteran Mignon du Preez (37) built a match-turning stand with Lee.
Lee, the first South African woman to score three ODI tons, reached the 100 mark in just 99 balls and that included 13 fours and a six. Du Preez and Lee shared 97 runs for the third wicket.
India bounced back by picking two wickets – du Preez and Marizanne Kapp – in a span of two overs to even things out by reducing South Africa to 178/4 in the 38th over.
However, the threat was far from over for India as a determined Lee stood in between the hosts and the victory. The 28-year-old continued her attacking batting at almost a run-a-ball and didn’t let required rate spike.
She was helped by the fact that India’s spinners were unable to get much purchase and kept conceding boundaries almost every over. Lee found an able partner in Anne Bosch (16 not out) and shared an unbeaten 45-run stand for the fifth wicket.
For India, veteran Jhulan Goswami picked up two wickets giving away just 20 runs in her 9 overs.
Earlier, Raut, who made 62 in a winning cause in the last match, continued her good form after the hosts were put in to bat. She struck 11 boundaries during her knock. This was after India lost big-hitting opener Jemimah Rodrigues (0) in the second delivery of the innings when she nicked an away-swinging one to Sinalo Jafta off Shabnim Ismail (2/46).
Raut joined Smriti Mandhana (25 off 27) at the crease and the duo once again came to India’s rescue, sharing 64 runs off 70 balls for the second wicket to take the team forward. Mandhana, however, couldn’t convert her start into a big score.
Mithali, the first Indian woman complete 10,000 runs across all formats, departed soon after reaching the major milestone, flicking a Anne Bosch delivery straight to Mignon du Preez at mid-wicket. Her 36 runs came off 50 balls and she hit five boundaries in the process.
Raut also fell soon after and Harmanpreet Kaur (36 off 46) played a quick knock before becoming Ismail’s second victim as India reached 221/5 in the 45th over. The boundaries dried up after that as Deepti Sharma (36 not out) and Sushma Verma (14 not out) remained unbeaten and shared 27 runs for the sixth wicket to take India close to the 250-run mark.
With PTI Inputs
Buy an annual Scroll Membership to support independent journalism and get special benefits.
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!