Veteran batter Mignon du Preez starred with an unbeaten 50 as South Africa knocked India out of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup with a three wickets win in a thrilling league match at Hagley Oval. It was an apt ending for the league stage of the tournament, dishing out many nail-biting matches.
But this was not the ending that last edition’s finalists India were expecting. After sizzling half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj and Shafali Verma took India to a respectable 274/7, South Africa were cruising with Laura Wolvaardt top-scoring with 80 and sharing a 125-run stand with Lara Goodall (49). But a seemingly straightforward chase turned on its head with India making inroads.
South Africa hold nerves
It required the calmness of du Preez to take South Africa home on the final ball of the chase. Another big moment was when South Africa needed three runs off two balls and du Preez holed out to long-on off Deepti Sharma. But replays showed Deepti overstepping by the tiniest of margins, turning the dismissal into a no-ball.
Eventually, du Preez’s whip through mid-wicket on the final ball of the innings and broke the hearts of Indian players.
