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Punam Raut’s ton in vain as du Preez, Goodall lead Proteas women to series win over India

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South African women didn’t have to sweat it out much as they chased down a considerably tough total of 266 with much ease against the Indian women to take an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. Mignon du Preez and Lara Goodall were the heroes for the Proteas women with their timely knocks of 61 and 55*. 

The pair of Goodall and du Preez was formed in the middle as skipper Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed for 53. The two women then added the runs that mattered the most. Du Preez as usual scored at a brisk pace, this time around at more than run a ball. Goodall and du Preez added 103 runs in just 94 balls, breaking the Indian women’s plan of choking the rainbow nation in the middle overs of spin. 

Even after the partnership was broken by Rajeshwari Gayakwad, the South Africans didn’t panic as the remaining 31 runs, required from 34 balls, were achieved in just 26 balls. Marizanne Kapp’s 18 ball 22 played an important role in achieving that result as well.  At one point in time, India might have sneaked their way back when Sushma Verma was too late to remove the bails behind the wicket as Goodall made it back after stepping out off a Deepti Sharma delivery. South Africa had then needed 16 off 18 balls.

Earlier in the day, Indian women with the help of Punam Raut’s third century in 72 games (104 off 123 balls) which included 10 fours, reached a competitive total of 266. Skipper Mithali Raj and vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur too played vital innings of 45 and 54 respectively. Mithali also became the first and till now the only woman in international cricket to reach 7000 ODI runs. 

This Proteas victory at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Stadium in Lucknow means that India would now have to wait for the three-match T20I series to exact the revenge. The T20I series would begin on 21st March after the last ODI finishes on 17th March.

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