R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo – In a batting display filled with flair and firepower, India Women amassed a commanding 337/9 in their 50 overs against South Africa Women in the fifth ODI of the 2025 Sri Lanka Women’s Tri-Nation Series. Leading the charge were Smriti Mandhana with a stunning 51 and Jemimah Rodrigue who contributed a composed 123, Deepti Sharma Score 93 as the Indian top-order put the Proteas bowlers under immense pressure.
A Rocky Start and a Flawless Comeback
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, South Africa Women struck early blows. Debutant Pratika Rawal departed cheaply in the second over, followed quickly by Harleen Deol and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur – reducing India to a shaky 50/3 by the end of the 7th over.
However, what followed was a masterclass in rebuilding and acceleration. Smriti Mandhana anchored the innings with a sublime 101-ball 123, peppered with 15 boundaries and a maximum. Jemimah Rodrigues, too, played a mature innings of 93 off 84 balls, blending caution with aggression.
Together, Mandhana and Rodrigues stitched a 122-run partnership for the fourth wicket, which not only steadied India but also laid the foundation for a massive total.
Late Fireworks and Lower-Order Spark
After Mandhana’s departure in the 24th over, India kept the momentum going. Richa Ghosh played a brisk cameo of 20 from 12 balls, while Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma added quick runs in the death overs. Even debutant Nallapureddy Charani chipped in before being dismissed off the final ball.
India’s last 10 overs yielded 77 runs, thanks to some smart running and aggressive strokes that pushed the total well beyond the 300-run mark.
South African Bowlers Toiled Hard
For South Africa Women, Masabata Klaas and Nadine de Klerk were the pick of the bowlers, each grabbing two wickets. However, none of the bowlers could maintain sustained pressure as India kept rotating strike and punishing loose deliveries.
Nonkululeko Mlaba and Chloe Tryon also chipped in with a wicket each, but the discipline with the ball was inconsistent across spells, allowing India to dominate.
Score Summary – India Women: 337/9 (50 Overs)
- Smriti Mandhana: 51
- Jemimah Rodrigues: 123 (101)
- Deepti Sharma: 93 (84)
- Richa Ghosh: 20 (12)
- Masabata Klaas: 2/51
- Nadine de Klerk: 2/54
Fall of Wickets: 9/1, 18/2, 50/3, 138/4, 260/5, 296/6, 314/7, 336/8, 337/9
With a towering total on the board, all eyes will now be on the Indian bowling attack to defend this score and secure a vital win in the tri-series. South Africa Women have a challenging chase ahead, and their top-order will need to produce something special at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
