India produced a clinical all-round performance to thrash hosts South Africa by 88 runs in the first one-dayer of the ICC Women's Championship at Diamond Oval in Kimberley on Monday.
When the two sides met in the inaugural edition of the ICC Women's Championship in Bengaluru in November 2014, South Africa had won the series 2-1.
With two games being completely washed out, the series was extended from five to six matches and India needed to win on the day to seal the series.
Veteran Jhulan Goswami's four-wicket haul was beautifully complemented by Smriti Mandhana's sparkling half-century as Indian women outplayed South Africa by nine wickets in the second ODI to level the five-match series 1-1, in Lucknow, on Tuesday.
Teenage Indian batting sensation Shafali Verma on Wednesday rose to the top spot in the ICC women's T20 International rankings, riding on her stellar run at the T20 World Cup in Australia. The 16-year-old Verma takes over from New Zealand's Suzie Bates, who had been the top batter since October 2018 after wresting the spot from West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor.
The 15-year-old Shafali, who was dismissed for a four-ball duck on her debut in the opening match, laid the foundation for a good total with a 33-ball innings, while Jemimah Rodrigues (33) provided the stablity, scoring a 22-ball 33.
Indian women's cricket team's confidence will be high as it heads into a five-game Twenty20 against South Africa.
India closed in on a berth in the ICC Women's World Cup 2017 after a resilient 49-run victory over South Africa in the first round of Super Six matches at the ICC Women's World Cup Qualifier 2017.
India will be keen to go one step ahead and claim the title that has eluded them
Jhulan Goswami said winning a World Cup title remains her ultimate dream
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