The Indian Women Cricket Team started their World Cup campaign on Sunday (February 27) with a warm-up game against South Africa and the Mithali Raj-led unit ended up on the winning side but not before a massive confusion with regards to the final scorecard thanks to multiple gaffes from the International Cricket Council.
The frequency change in scorecards by the ICC and the unusual inactivity of the BCCI women Twitter handle caused a lot of confusion as multiple scorecards went viral.
Earlier, the ICC updated the final scorecard, according to which South Africa won the warm-up game by four wickets.
Sometime later, the ICC made changes to the scoresheet, which showed that it was actually India, who won the game by 2 runs.
It was eventually top-order batter Yastika Bhatia, who scored a brilliant 58, to confirm the actual scorecard.
India actually won the game by 2 runs as South Africa, requiring 8 runs off the last six balls, could only manage 5.
At one stage, the scorecard also suggested that India won the game by one run.
Coming back to the events of the game, India rode on a brilliant hundred from Harmanpreet Kaur and a half-century from Yastika Bhatia to post 244/9 in 50 overs..
Harmanpreet, who had copped a lot of pressure in recent times due to her prolonged lean patch, seems to be slowly getting back to her best.
The Indian T20I skipper scored a match-winning half-century in the last One-day International against the White Ferns and backed it up with a hundred- 103 off 114 deliveries- on Sunday.
India were dealt with an injury scare during their innings when champion opener Smriti Mandhana left the field after copping a vicious blow on her head courtesy of a bouncer from pacer Shabnim Ismail.
Following an examination, the team doctor deemed her fit to play but the southpaw left the field one over later as a precautionary measure. She did not take the field during the second innings but is believed to be stable.
As far as bowling is concerned, left-arm orthodox Rajeshwari Gayakad was the star for India as she claimed a four-wicket-haul while giving away just 44 runs in 10 overs. The trio of Poonam Yadav, Sneh Rana and Meghan Singh picked up one apiece.
For South Africa, Laura Wolvaardt (75 off 92 deliveries) and skipper Sune Luus (94 off 101 deliveries) were the major spearheads.
India will play their second and final warm-up game against the West Indies on March 01. They will open their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on March 06.
Brief Scores:
India 9-244 in 50 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 103, Yastika Bhatia 58; Ayabonga Khaka 3/23 in 7) beat South Africa 7-242 in 50 overs ( Sune Luus 94, Laura Wolvaardt 75; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 4/44 in 10) by 2 runs.