India Women cruised past the Proteas Women in the quadrangular final, despite a well-played fifty from Sune Luus.
It was a disappointing start for the Proteas, who were put in to bat first. India’s recent dominance over the SA ladies continued, despite the hosts claiming a narrow win over the No 4-ranked side in their last quadrangular encounter.
Luus, on her 50th ODI, was the star for the Proteas, backing up her 83 against Ireland with another half-century to take her career tally to six half-centuries.
The CSA Women’s Player of the Year opened the batting with Andrie Steyn, but lost her opening partner in the third over to Jhulan Goswami (3-22). Trisha Chetty was next to go, Ekta Bisht claiming the wicketkeeper’s scalp to reduce the hosts to 17-2.
Luus was then joined by Mignon du Preez and the pair triggered a temporary comeback as they put on 73 for the third wicket to take the Proteas to 90 in 21.2 overs, before Du Preez (30 off 49 balls) was dismissed by Shikha Pandey (2-23).
This proved to be the vital breakthrough, as Luus was the next to go shortly after reaching her sixth career fifty, Poonam Yadev (3-32) reducing SA to 117-3 halfway through the 28th over.
The hosts crumbled from there, Chloe Tryon (20) and Marizanne Kapp (18) the next highest scorers, as the Proteas were bowled out for 156.
SA struck early through Kapp and Shabnim Ismail, as India’s chase got off to a slow start, which saw them reduced to 33-2 (11.2 overs).
Punam Raut (70) was unfazed by the temporary stumble and pushed her side forward, hitting eight fours and a six to reach her eighth career ODI fifty.
Her 127-run partnership with her captain Mithali Raj (62) helped the visitors post 160-2 and steered India over the line to claim an eight-wicket victory with 17 overs remaining.
