Indian women clinch series against SA with Mandhana's ton

Kimberley [South Africa], Feb 7 (ANI): Opener Smriti Mandhana continued her rich vein form as Indian women cricket team thrashed South Africa by 178 runs in the second ODI of the three-match series in Kimberley on Wednesday.

With this win, India have also clinched the series, which is the first-round fixture of the ICC Women's Championship.

Coming to bat first, India set a 303-run target for the hosts.

However, South Africa were bundled out on 124 with 19.1 overs to spare.

For India, Mandhana played a knock of 135 runs laced with 14 fours and one six. It was her second ODI century against South Africa.

Harmanpreet Kaur (55) and Veda Krishnamurthy (51) chipped in with their unbeaten fifties.

For South Africa opener Lizelle Lee became the highest scorer with 73, as all other players except Marizanne Kapp (17) failed to get a double digit score.

On bowling front, spinners Poonam Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad finished with the figures of four for 24 and two for 14.

Deepti Sharma also claimed two wickets as pacer Jhulan Goswami became the first female cricketer to take 200 ODI wickets.

She achieved the feat in her 166th ODI by dismissing opener Laura Wolvaardt.

Goswami, an ICC Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007, has earlier broken Australian Cathryn Fitzpatrick’s record of highest wickets in women ODIs. (ANI)