The Proteas Women suffered a 23-run defeat to India in their ODI Tri-Series match in Colombo on Wednesday.
The result rules South Africa out of contention for a place in Sunday’s final.
India set an imposing total of 337-9, powered by Jemimah Rodrigues’ 123 off 101 balls and an 84-ball 93 from Deepti Sharma.
In response, the Proteas Women fought valiantly but were restricted to 314-7, following an entertaining innings from Annerie Dercksen (81 off 80 balls) and stand-in captain Chloé Tryon (67 off 43).
Tryon won the toss and opted to bowl first, a decision that paid immediate dividends.
South Africa’s new-look opening bowling pair, Nadine de Klerk (2-54) and Masabata Klaas (2-51), made early inroads, removing Pratika Rawal (one) and Harleen Deol (four) inside the first three overs.
At 18-2, Smriti Mandhana (51 off 63 balls) joined captain Harmanpreet Kaur (28) at the crease and the pair launched a brief 32-run stand before Kaur mistimed a pull shot off the bowling of Dercksen (1-36).
With early wickets lost, Mandhana and Rodrigues took on the rebuilding task. Their 88-run partnership not only steadied the innings but saw both batters bring up their half-centuries. The breakthrough came in the 24th over when Tryon (1-46) dismissed Mandhana, leaving India on 138-4.
Rodrigues continued her fine form and found a reliable partner in Sharma. The duo compiled a commanding 122-run stand, with Rodrigues reaching her second ODI century and Sharma her 13th fifty. Klaas eventually broke the partnership in the 43rd over, removing Rodrigues.
India’s momentum didn’t wane as Richa Ghosh added a quickfire 20 before being dismissed by Nonkululeko Mlaba (2-71).
South Africa managed to claim three more wickets, with Mlaba, de Klerk, and a run out accounting for Amanjot Kaur (five), Sharma, and Shree Charani (six).
South Africa’s innings began with a fall of a wicket as Kaur (3-59) removed Lara Goodall (five). Tazmin Brits (26) was then joined by debutant Miané Smit in a calming 65-run stand, but Kaur struck again to dismiss Brits.
Smit impressed on debut with 39 from 54 deliveries, including five boundaries, before falling to Sharma (2-57), leaving the Proteas at 89-3.
Dercksen then took centre stage, sharing a 70-run partnership with Nondumiso Shangase, who recorded a personal best score of 36. However, Shangase was undone by Rawal (1-15), slowing down South Africa’s momentum at 159-4.
Dercksen carried on the resistance with Sinalo Jafta (21) and then with Tryon, pushing the total past 200 and notching her second consecutive half-century and personal best score before falling to Kaur, who claimed her third wicket.
Facing a steep ask of 78 runs off the final 23 balls, Tryon and de Klerk (22) added a fighting 51-run partnership for the seventh wicket, with Tryon raising her bat for her 11th ODI fifty.
A brief stoppage due to bad light halted their surge, and once play resumed, Tryon was bowled by Sharma in the final over to end South Africa’s hopes of a record chase.
The Proteas Women will complete their Tri-Series campaign with a final round-robin fixture against hosts Sri Lanka on Friday.
