Visakhapatnam: Having faced Indian pacer Kranti Gaud earlier, and with the eased-up conditions in the second half of the game, South African batter Nadine de Klerk’s confidence grew as she led her team to victory against India in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup.
De Klerk launched a sensational assault on the Indian bowling in the last three overs, hitting Kranti for a couple of sixes and a four and smashing two sixes in three balls against Amanjot Kaur in the 49th over to secure victory.
Coming in at No. 8, de Klerk hammered an unbeaten 84 off 54 balls, hitting eight fours and five sixes as she shared a 69-run partnership with Chloe Tryon (49 off 66) for the eighth wicket, helping South Africa secure a memorable victory in a thrilling match encounter.
De Klerk said she and Tryon decided to take things deep and also relied on the confidence they gained from the words of skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who expressed belief in her batters after they were bundled out for 69 by England in their first match. On Thursday, the skipper laid the foundation for the successful chase with a 111-ball 70.
“Yeah, look, I think when me and Chloe were batting together, we just said we wanted to take it deep and we felt like if the two of us were still batting in the back end, we backed ourselves to get 10, 10 runs an over in the last four or five overs. So, yeah, it was just about being really positive, taking a smart option, I guess. And yeah, still trying to put their bowlers under pressure,” de Klerk said in the post-match press conference.
She also admitted that bowling medium-pace in the death overs was relatively easy and helped them secure victory.
“Yeah, look, I think seam was much easier on this wicket and I think even when we bowled in the back end, we felt like it was a pretty good wicket. But I think their spinners bowled really well in that middle phase.
“So, I think especially in that back 10, we knew they’re going to have to bowl a few seamers, and that was going to be the much easier option to take on. So, I think, like I said, yeah, we just played smart cricket. Me and Chloe just tried to take it really deep.
“We knew that if we had to get 40 of the last four and the two of us were still batting, that we could get it. So, it was just about building that partnership, getting ourselves in, and then taking, especially the pacers down. And that was always the plan to try to take the pacers down. Which was much easier on that surface,” she added.
She said Richa Ghosh’s attempt to seek the physio’s help to treat her hamstring during the 47th over was an attempt by the Indian team to slow down things and break South Africa’s momentum. However, de Klerk said the break allowed her to reassess her game plan.
The 25-year-old South African all-rounder said things became a bit tricky after Tryon got out. IANS
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