India Women vs South Africa Women 2021, 3rd Women’s ODI - Centurion Lizelle Lee Secures Series-Leading Victory For Visitors In The Late Rain-Marred ODI

Opener Lizelle Lee’s brilliant century helped the visitors South Africa Women to beat the hosts India Women in the rain-marred third game of the five-match Women’s ODI series. By winning this match by 6 runs (DLS method), the visitors have regained their lead in this series by leading it 2-1 with two more matches to go.

After losing the toss, India Women scored 248/5 (50 overs) at the end of the first innings. While South Africa scored 223/4 in 46.3 overs as they still needed 26 runs off 21 balls, rain interrupted the game. As it was not possible to restart that match, the visitors claimed the victory.

India Women vs South Africa Women 2021, 3rd Women’s ODI

2nd innings (South Africa Women): Opener Lizelle Lee scored 132 not out

Chasing down the target, South Africa Women captain Laura Wolvaardt (12) and Lara Goodall (16) lost their wickets cheaply but setting up the 40+ partnerships with another opener Lizelle Lee. Lee, who completed her fifty before the fall of their second wicket, continued her strong batting performance and then she set up the crucial 97 runs partnership with Mignon du Preez for the third wicket.

Continuing her good batting, Lee completed her century with a sixer when she faced 97th delivery in this game. Soon after that, Rajeshwari Gayakwad finally broke that partnership in the 37th over by dismissing Mignon du Preez for 37 runs.

In the very next over, Jhulan Goswami dismissed Marizanne Kapp for a duck. But Lee continued her impressive batting as she was not on 132 runs off 131 balls (16 fours and 2 sixes) when rain stopped the game. During that stoppage moment, Anne Bosch scored 16 not out.

Among the Indian Women bowlers, Jhulan Goswami was the only player to get two wickets as she had bowling figures of 9-2-20-2.

1st innings (India Women): Punam Raut scored 77 runs, Mithali Raj completed her 10,000 international runs

Shabnim Ismail once again provided a good start as he took the wicket of Jemimah Rodrigues (0) on the second ball of the match. But then another opener Smriti Mandhana and Punam Raut set the strong base with 64 runs partnership for the second wicket.

Mandhana lost her wicket in the 12th over after scoring 25 runs as Tumi Sekhukhune got that wicket. Then Punam and captain Mithali Raj set up the 77 runs partnership for the third wicket. During that partnership, Punam completed her fifty in 80 balls.

Raj was dismissed by Anne Bosch after scoring 36 runs. During that innings, Mithali completed her 10,000 international runs and became the second Women’s cricketer to score 10,000 international runs as former English cricketer Charlotte Edwards was the first Women’s cricketer to reach this milestone. Brilliant Punam scored 77 runs off 108 balls (11 fours) before Marizanne Kapp sent her back to the pavilion.

But then Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma built another 60 runs partnership for the fifth wicket. While Kaur was dismissed after scoring 36 runs, Deepti was not out on 36 runs along with another unbeaten batter Sushma Verma (14*).

Shabnim Ismail was their only bowler who got two wickets in that innings as she had the bowling figures of 10-1-46-2.

Brief Scores: India Women – 248/5 in 50 overs (Punam Raut 77, Deepti Sharma 36*; Shabnim Ismail 2/46)

South Africa Women (Revised target – 218/4 in 46.3 overs) – 223/4 in 46.3 overs (Lizelle Lee 132*, Mignon du Preez 37; Jhulan Goswami 2/20)

Result – South Africa Women won by 6 runs (DLS method)