Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur score centuries as India beat South Africa in a thriller

Riding on centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur and later the Indian bowlers, who kept their nerve in the end, India eked out a narrow four-run over South Africa to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.

Mandhana smashed 136 (120 balls, 18 fours, 2 sixes) and Harmanpreet scored 103 (88 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes) as India scored 325/3 in their 50 overs.

Despite fighting centuries from Laura Wolvaardt (135 not out, 135 balls, 12 fours, 3 sixes) and Marizanne Kapp (114, 94 balls, 11 fours, 3 sixes), South Africa could only manage 321/6 in their 50 overs, handing India a narrow win.

India beat South Africa by 143 runs in the first match of the ODI series in Bengaluru.

It was Mandhana’s seventh ODI century, while the Indian skipper brought up her sixth ton.

The South African women fought back through Kapp and Wolvaardt, who added 184 runs off 170 balls for the fourth wicket, but in the end they fell short. The credit went to the Indian bowlers, who were precise in their line and length to be effective.

Arundhati Reddy, who replaced Renuka Singh in the playing XI, gave India a good start when she accounted for Tazmin Brits with a delivery that came in. Mandhana soon took the big wicket of Sune Luus, caught behind by Richa Ghosh, as she got her maiden international wicket.

Wolvaardt and Kapp then resisted the Indian spinners with excellent footwork and shot selection. The pair added 100 runs for the fourth wicket in 114 balls, when Kapp swept left-arm spinner Radha Yadav for a boundary.

Pooja Vastrakar took a good catch in the deep to dismiss Kapp when the batter went for the jugular against off-spinner Deepti Sharma.

Wolvaardt and Nadine de Klerk added 69 runs off 41 balls for the fifth wicket but that was not enough as Vastrakar defended 11 runs in the last over.

Earlier, Mandhana and Harmanpreet added 171 runs for the third wicket to help India post a potential match-winning total.

Mandhana started slow, taking 18 balls to get off the mark, as Ayabonga Khaka started with two maiden overs in a row .

Shefali Verma was the first to be dismissed for 20 and Dayalan Hemalatha joined Mandhana in the middle as the pair added 62 runs for the second wicket.

Hemalatha was out for 24 and from then on, it was a Mandhana and Harmanpreet show, as India called the shots.