The Indian women’s cricket team beat South Africa in the final of the Quadrangular Series at the Senwes Park, Potchefstroom by 8 wickets on May 21, 2017.
Poonam Raut and Mithali Raj shared an unbeaten 127-run stand. Jhulan Goswami played a starring role taking three wickets to help India dismiss South Africa for 156 in 40.2 overs. Then it was the turn of Raut and Raj to deliver with the bat. Raut (70 off 92) and Raj (62 off 79) took their team to a comfortable win in 33 overs after a jittery start to the chase.
Both Raut and Raj displayed top form throughout the tournament. Raut had scored an unbeaten 109 against Ireland while Raj came to the final after scoring two half-centuries.
Captain Mithali Raj not only guided the team to a resounding win but also became the first Indian captain to lead the side in 100 ODIs.
Chasing a modest target, India lost opener Deepti Sharma and Mona Meshram cheaply before Raut and Raj completed the job in a clinical fashion.
Raut was adjudged the woman of the match for India while Deepti Sharma was the player of the series.
Zimbabwe and Ireland were the other two participants in the tournament.
The Indian women’s cricket team recorded 16 successive victories between February 2016 and May 2017, equalling the second longest-winning streak in Women’s ODIs. They smashed 358 in one match which is the highest total for India so far and the tenth-highest in women’s ODIs.
This tournament was also a good practice for the World Cup next month scheduled to be held in the UK. We can’t wait!
Brief scores: South Africa 156 all out in 40.2 overs (Luus 55; Goswami 3/22). India 160/2 in 33 overs (Poonam Raut 70 not out, Mithali Raj 62 not out).
Also read: What The 2016 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Means For Feminism
