Cricket: Pandey guides Indian eves to victory

Shikha Pandey's all-round performance (59 and 3 for 19) helped India Women beat South Africa Women by six wickets to level the ODI series 1-1 here Wednesday.

Seamer Pandey struck crucial blows in the fag end of the South African innings to restrict the visitors to 186 for eight with left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht also taking three wickets. Pandey then played a major role with the bat as India hunted down the target, making 187 for four in 44.4 overs.

After asking South Africa to bat first on winning the toss, the Indian bowlers did well to reduce the visitors to 125 for six in the 41st over, but Chloe Tryon (49 not out, 34b, 4x4), as she did in the previous game, held the innings together.

Earlier, Mignon Du Perez (36, 71b, 4x4) and Dane Van Niekerk (28, 67b, 3x4) put on 54 runs for fifth wicket in 14.3 overs, but never quite looked like posting a big enough total until Tryon's blitzkrieg in the death overs when she slammed 26 runs in 2.1 overs in the company of Marcia Letsoalo (0) who faced just three balls.

India's response was built around opener 47 (77b, 8x4) and Pandey who put on 89 runs for the fourth wicket with Harmanpreet Kaur (42 not out, 61b, 4x4) as the South Africans seemed to wilt under the onslaught.

Although Pandey was dismissed when India were still short of the target, Harmanpreet Kaur stayed till the end and guided the hosts to a well-deserved victory.

The third and concluding match of the series which is part of the ICC Women's World Championship, will be played here on Nov 28, followed by a T20 game between the two teams on Nov 30.

Brief scores:

South Africa Women 186 for 8 in 50 overs (Lizelle Lee 21, Mignon Du Perez 36, Dane Van Niekerk 28, Chloe Tryon 49 not out, Shikha Pandey 3 for 19, Ekta Bisht 3 for 28) lost to India Women 187 for 4 in 44.4 overs (Poonam Raut 47, Shikha Pandey 59, Harmanpreet Kaur 42 not out) by six wickets.