India secured a spot in the women’s Tri-Nation ODI series final against Sri Lanka after defeating South Africa by 23 runs in Colombo on Wednesday. Jemimah Rodrigues’ career-best 123, along with half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, helped India post 337 for 9, while bowlers Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma restricted South Africa to 314/7.India finished the round-robin phase with six points from four games, while Sri Lanka has four points from three games with a chance to earn two more points against South Africa on Friday.South Africa’s tournament hopes ended after losing three consecutive games, with one remaining match against Sri Lanka.The 24-year-old Rodrigues led India’s batting display with her second ODI hundred, forming crucial partnerships with Mandhana and Deepti Sharma.Rodrigues shared an 88-run stand with Mandhana, who scored 51, and a 122-run partnership with Deepti Sharma, who fell short of a century by seven runs with 93.Rodrigues’ innings ended in the 43rd over when she was caught at point while attempting an offside shot.Deepti Sharma took charge after Rodrigues’ dismissal, scoring an impressive 84-ball innings with 10 boundaries and two sixes.Who’s that IPL player?South Africa’s bowling effort was led by Masabata Klaas, Nadine de Klerk, and Nonkululeko Mlaba, who each claimed two wickets.The South African chase began poorly with opener Lara Goodall departing for 7 in the second over. Tazmin Brits and Miane Smit stabilized the innings with a 63-run partnership.Despite Annerie Dercksen’s 81 off 80 balls and stand-in captain Chloe Tryon’s 67 off 43 balls, South Africa struggled to maintain the required run rate.The match was briefly interrupted due to poor light with South Africa at 299/6 with two overs remaining. Play resumed after conditions improved, with Tryon and de Klerk adding 15 more runs.India’s innings had started shakily with opener Pratika Rawal falling early for 1, caught by Dercksen off de Klerk’s bowling.
Harleen Deol’s quick dismissal and Harmanpreet’s brief cameo of 28 runs left India at a precarious position early in their innings.The partnership between Mandhana and Rodrigues steadied the innings before Mandhana was caught at deep mid-wicket off Tryon’s bowling.The victory demonstrated India’s batting strength and tactical bowling approach, effectively managing South Africa’s chase despite strong resistance from Dercksen and Tryon.
