"Credit goes to Smriti, Shafali who set up platform for us": Harmanpreet Kaur lauds batters for win over SA

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana (Photo: BCCI Women/ X)

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 1 (ANI): Following India's 10-wicket victory against South Africa in the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai during the one-off Test, captain Harmanpreet Kaur showered Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma with plaudits.

Mandhana and Shafali amassed 292 runs for the first wicket on Day 1 of the red-ball match, putting the home team in a strong position from the start. With 205 from Shafali and 149 from Mandhana, India scored a massive 603 for 6 (declared) on the scoreboard.

South Africa lost a 337-run lead in the first innings, but they exhibited tremendous bravery in the second. With respective scores of 122, 109, and 61 runs, Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus, and Nadine de Klerk made India work hard.

Harmanpreet acknowledged that the Proteas gave India a difficult time in the second innings.

"It was not easy. They batted really well. They did not give us an easy win and we had to work hard for it. Credit goes to Smriti and Shafali who set up a platform for us. Everyone in the team, they contributed well with the bat. The way we fielded, it was not easy to field for so many overs. Hats off to our bowlers, especially our spinners. They kept bowling and had that belief that they could take those wickets to win us the game. All of them. The way they played the last two Tests, they showed that trust that they can keep bowling and keep creating chances,"

Harmanpreet also praised the bowlers for coming through for India and winning the game. In Women's Test cricket, Sneh Rana became just the second bowler from India to take ten wickets in a single match. Rana had previously achieved the second-best results by an Indian in the women's tests, behind Neetu David.

"Even our medium pacers, they did the job whenever the opportunity came. Credit to each and every one, and even the support staff. We had positive talks with them and the atmosphere in the team created that energy. It was tough but the way they were bowling, they were creating opportunities. When we came in the morning, we knew we had just 100 runs in the pocket and that we had to be careful, not giving them easy boundaries. But we also had to keep looking for wickets. We planned really well and stuck to that," she added.

India broke South Africa's resolve early in the last day's session to set up their crushing 10-wicket victory in the one-off Test in Chennai. On the last day, Nadine de Klerk kept the enthusiastic visitors going, but India continued to chip away. In the first two sessions, they each took three wickets, with Sneh Rana being the second Indian player to take ten or more in a single game. To keep South Africa in the game, De Klerk batted out 185 balls for her 61, but it did nothing more than postpone the inevitable outcome, which went to India's advantage.

Now after clinching ODI and Test series, Harmanpreet Kaur's India will take on South Africa in a three-match T20I series. The three-match T20I series will take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from July 5 to 9. (ANI)

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