Visakhapatnam, Oct 9 (UNI) Richa Ghosh went absolutely berserk, blasting 94 off 77 balls in a stunning display of power and timing, but despite her fireworks, India Women were bowled out for 251 in 49.5 overs against South Africa Women.
It was one of those innings where you sit on the edge of your seat, heart in your mouth, watching brilliance almost go unrewarded.
Richa came in when India were wobbling, and she treated every ball like it owed her money. Fours and sixes rained down as she took on Tumi Sekhukhune, Ayabonga Khaka, and Nadine de Klerk, torching the field and giving the spectators a show to remember.
The keeper-batsman just missed out on a century, caught by Chloe Tryon with the penultimate delivery, and Shree Charani fell immediately after, caught by Laura Wolvaardt to end the innings.
Earlier, Pratika Rawal had set the tone with a solid 37, while Smriti Mandhana managed 23 before falling to Nonkululeko Mlaba. Harleen Deol (13) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (9) couldn’t convert starts, and Jemimah Rodrigues was dismissed for a duck by Chloe Tryon.
Deepti Sharma (4) and Amanjot Kaur (13) also failed to make an impact, but Sneh Rana added some late sparkle with 33 from 24 balls, carving out a few boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Wickets tumbled in a relentless procession: 55-1, 83-2, 91-3, 92-4, 100-5, 102-6, 153-7, 241-8, 251-9, and finally 251-10. Extras added 25 runs, mostly in wides, as India limped to the finish line.
South Africa’s bowlers kept their cool and struck at the right moments. Tryon grabbed 3 wickets for 32, Marizanne Kapp also claimed 2 for 45, and De Klerk picked up 2 for 52, with Mlaba claiming two for 46 and Sekhukhune chipping in with one.
This was a thrilling innings, a rollercoaster of near-misses and breathtaking shots. India now need their bowlers to stand tall and keep South Africa at bay if they want to stay in this contest.
Richa’s assault will be remembered long after the final ball, a true spectacle in the Women’s World Cup.
