South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk starred with both bat and ball as the Proteas ended India’s unbeaten start to the Women’s World Cup in England on Saturday with a crushing 115-run win.
Van Niekerk made 57 in a total of 273 for nine that featured Lizelle Lee’s dashing 92.
India, who had won all four of their previous group matches, then slumped to 158 all out with van Niekerk taking four for 22 — including dismissing opposing skipper Mithali Raj for the first golden duck of the India star’s one-day international career.
“I just stuck to my plans and today it came off. We said we wanted it, and we did that,” said van Niekerk after her side’s third win in five matches.
“Everyone chipped in and it was a brilliant team performance,” she added after a victory that took South Africa into the top four of the eight-team tournament — with the leading four sides going into the semi-finals after the all-play-all group phase.
Lee’s remarkable innings saw her score 82 runs in boundaries.
Raj, who won the toss, said: “When we decided to field it was because of the history of the ground. We´ve had people saying that most of the matches that are won here are chasing.”
She added: “We did realise that Lee’s wicket was very important.
“I give full credit to her batting, she played one of the best innings I have seen in the World Cup against us.”
Meanwhile New Zealand, whose only loss so far this tournament has come against reigning champions Australia, inflicted winless Pakistan’s fifth defeat in as many matches.
Hannah Rowe took three for 22 on her World Cup debut as Pakistan were skittled out for 144.
Sophie Devine then smashed nine sixes — the most in a women’s ODI innings — while scoring 93 from just 41 balls as New Zealand moved closer to a semi-final place with an eight-wicket success at Taunton.
“The sixes record will be nice to look back on, but the most important thing was the win and the points — winning clinically was a bonus,” said Devine.
“We know how important run-rate is going to be in this tournament, it’s so tight in those top five or six teams.”
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