Indian women clinch ICC WC Qualifier title
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur lifted India to a thrilling last-ball victory over South Africa in the final of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 at the P Sara Stadium on Tuesday. Set to chase 245, India had all but lost its way after a flurry of wickets but Kaur kept her cool to score the nine runs required off the last over from pace bowler Marcia Letsoala.
With just one wicket in hand and only one run scored off the first four deliveries, India did not have much going for it but Kaur heaved a six over the mid-wicket fence off the penultimate delivery and then a lofted shot towards long on brought the two runs required off the last ball. Rajeshwari Gayakwad scampered home to complete the double as other Indian players ran on to the ground in celebration of a memorable win.
India stand-in captain Harmanpreet Kaur: “To be honest, I was waiting for that ball because that is my strong area. I know like we needed nine runs in the final over and I was going to hit the ball. If we run then we will go for two runs. My partner also did a great job and ran two runs. It was a totally team effort from our side.”
Earlier, India’s reply had started slowly and it was 20 for one in 7.3 overs before opener Mona Meshram and left-hander Deepti Sharma added 124 runs in the next 25 overs to raise the team’s hopes. Meshram struck 59 off 82 balls with seven fours and one six while Sharma knocked up 71 off 89 balls with eight fours. However, their departure in successive overs put India behind in the chase once again. Veda Krishnamurthy chipped in with 31 but India was losing wickets regularly before Kaur turned the tables with her run-a-ball 41 in which she hit two fours and the decisive six.
India and South Africa, along with Sri Lanka and Pakistan, have qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 in which they will join Australia, England, New Zealand and the West Indies. The four top teams from the tournament also made the ICC Women’s Championship while the top six — Ireland and Bangladesh being the other two teams — are assured of ODI status for the next four-year cycle. BRIEF SCORES: India beat South Africa by one run South Africa 244 all out in 49.4 overs (Mignon du Preez 40, Lizelle Lee 37, Dane van Niekerk 37, SuneLuus 35, Rajeshwari Gayakwad 3-51, Shikha Pandey 2-41). India 245-9 in 50 overs (Deepti Sharma 71, Mona Meshram 59, Harmanpreet Kaur 41 not out, Veda Krishnamurthy 31, Marizanne Kapp 2-36, Aiyabonga Khaka 2-55).