IND vs SA, 1st ODI: Smriti Mandhana, Asha Sobhana shine as India beat South Africa by 143 runs, take 1-0 lead

Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana put on a spectacular show, smashing a brilliant 117 off 127 balls to score her sixth century in ODIs. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Asha Sobhana made a stunning debut by taking a four-wicket haul, leading India to a resounding 143-run victory over South Africa at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to kick off the multi-format series in style.

Despite a challenging pitch that offered unpredictable bounce and movement, India found themselves struggling at 99/5 after choosing to bat first. However, Smriti rose to the occasion, showcasing her skills with a mix of powerful shots and incredible composure to anchor India's innings with finesse.

Smriti's exceptional century, which included 12 boundaries and a six, delighted the enthusiastic Sunday crowd. Supported by valuable contributions from Deepti Sharma (37) and Pooja Vastrakar (31), India managed to surpass the 250-run mark.

st ODI ton at home
nd ODI ton against South Africa
th ODI ton overall

@mandhana_smriti's reaction & then, of those at the stadium say it all! 

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— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 16, 2024

In the bowling department, Asha's impressive figures of 4-21, combined with her excellent spin and pace, kept South Africa on the back foot throughout their chase of 269. The Proteas struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals, eventually being bowled out for 122 in 37.4 overs.

Renuka Singh Thakur, Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, and Radha Yadav also made significant contributions with the ball, supporting Asha's stellar performance. With a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, India got off to a flying start. 

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