It required a magnificent effort by the ever-reliable to help India recover from a perilous position and post a fighting total against South Africa at the VDCA Stadium on Thursday.
Her brilliant knock of 94 was the cornerstone as the home team recovered from a doddering six down for 102 to 251, after they were asked to bat first, following a hour-long delayed start due to rain.
After failing to restrict the hosts, despite having them against the ropes, the South Africans seemed demoralised and it showed in the way they went about chasing the stiff target. At the time of going to press, South Africa were 192-6 in 44 overs. The visitors had lost their top five wickets for less than 100 runs. Opener Laura Wolvaardt was leading SA’s scoring chart for with 70 off 111 balls.
Blistering 88-run stand
Earlier, not for the first time in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup, the Indian top order flattered to deceive, and it required another rearguard action by the lower order after the home team were in deep trouble at 102-6. Though Ghosh and Amanjot Kaur added a valuable 51 runs for the seventh wicket, the departure of the latter at 153 in the 40th over meant that the home team was still not out of the woods. Then came a blistering 88-run partnership off only 53 balls between Ghosh and Sneh Rana (33 of 24 balls with six fours) that turned things around.
Laura Wolvaardt in full flow against India on Thursday
Ghosh was circumspect to begin with, but gradually got into rhythm on a pitch where an odd ball tended to stop and spin. Once she got the measure of the pitch, she went hell for leather and completed her half-century in only 53 balls and sped away into the 90s in the matter of 22 more balls. When the final over began, she was on 88 and the goodly crowd cheered her on to complete her century. She did get a brace and a four, but a tired stroke off a full toss ended her hopes of accomplishing her maiden ODI century. She ended up on 94 from 77 balls with 11 fours and four sixes. This was her second dismissal in the nervous nineties, the earlier one being 96 against in Mumbai in December 2023.
Much of the attention in this match was on Mandhana, but for the third straight innings, she got out early despite looking in good nick. Her tendency to play the ball in the air early in the innings is costing her dear. With bigger battles ahead, hopefully, she will learn her lesson and return to the form that she displayed in the recent ODI series against England.
Kaur, Rodrigues go early
There were other top-order batters too who played loose shots, like skipper , Harleen Deol, and Jemimah Rodrigues. For Rodrigues, it was her second duck in three games as she tried to sweep from the stumps, facing only her fifth delivery. In the opening game against Sri Lanka, she was castled first ball.