2nd ODI: India eves set the pace with win, level series 1-1 with South Africa

India pacer Jhulan Goswami (centre) celebrates a South African wicket in the second ODI. Pics/BCCI

There was a big smile on India skipper Mithali Raj's face after winning the toss for the second ODI against South Africa on Tuesday. She knew it was vital for the pacers to make the most of the helpful seaming conditions and make early inroads, especially after the SA openers had put up a big match-winning partnership in the first one-dayer recently.

And India seamers Jhulan Goswami and Mansi Joshi did not disappoint their captain. In-form SA openers, Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt were dismissed cheaply for four and nine respectively as the hosts took early control of the match.

After the early setbacks, the visitors could muster only 157 runs from 41 overs. India overhauled the target with nine wickets and over 21 overs to spare and made it 1-1 in the five-game series.

Though the toss was a crucial factor, credit also goes to the bowlers, who vastly improved upon their performance in the first game, where the Indians lost by eight wickets.

Goswami, 38, showed that she is still the bowling mainstay of the team. She ran in hard to pick up four crucial wickets (4-42) and with it, the woman of the match award to ensure India came back strongly in the series after a lacklustre first game.

Smriti Mandhana en route her unbeaten 80 against SA yesterday

The other seamer, Joshi too played her part and removed the dangerous Wolvaardt and skipper Sune Luus (36) with some fine swing bowling. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad claimed 3-37 to ensure the SA lower order didn't do much damage.

Though India required just above three an over, Smriti Mandhana began by pulling and hooking pace bowler Shabnim Ismail for two sixes in the opening over.

Mandhana dominated the proceedings, notching up an unbeaten 80 from just 64 balls with 10 fours and three sixes. Her knock saw India home in the 29th over, despite losing opener Jemimah Rodrigues cheaply (9). That was the lone success the South African bowlers had as Mandhana and Punam Raut (62 not out off 89) blazed away with an unbeaten 138-run stand to help India record their biggest win over South Africa in terms of wickets. Raut hammered eight fours as she played a useful supporting role to Mandhana.

It was the kind of clinical performance the Indian team were looking for. It now sets them up nicely for the next three ODIs against a team that can surprise them on any given day.

Captain Raj handled the bowlers well, ringing in changes at the right time. She later admitted that winning the toss proved to be beneficial and praised the bowlers, especially Goswami, for bringing India back into the contest.

Brief scores
SA 157 in 41 overs (L Goodall 49, S Luus 36; J Goswami 4-42, R Gayakwad 3-37) lost to India 160-1 in 28.4 overs (S Mandhana 80', P Raut 62') by nine wickets