“Fantastic Win”: Jay Shah on Women in Blue’s Historic Victory Over South Africa

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Jay Shah lauded the Indian women’s team for their outstanding win against South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday. India dominated from the start, setting several records on the opening day by posting a formidable total of 525/4. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana created the highest opening partnership in women’s Test cricket with 292 runs, leading to India recording the highest total on Day 1 in women’s cricket.

In response, South Africa was initially bundled out for 266. Following a follow-on, they managed just 37 runs in their second innings. Key performances included Sneh Rana’s exceptional off-breaks, achieving figures of 8/77, marking the third-best innings figures in Women’s Tests. Centuries from Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana provided India with a solid platform. Despite a strong resistance from South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus, who put up a 190-run partnership, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Rajeshwari Gayakwad played crucial roles in breaking their stand and wrapping up South Africa’s innings.

Eventually, South Africa was bowled out for 373 in their second innings, and India chased down the 37-run target in 9.2 overs, securing a 10-wicket victory. Jay Shah expressed his delight on X, stating, “What a fantastic win for our girls in the one-off Test against South Africa! @SnehRana15 was unplayable with her off-breaks, recording the third-best innings figures (8/77) in Women’s Tests. Huge centuries by @TheShafaliVerma and @mandhana_smriti gave us the right platform. On to the T20s now!” This victory showcased the depth and talent of the Indian women’s cricket team, setting a strong foundation as they look forward to the upcoming T20 series.