Visakhapatnam, Oct 10
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.
"Yeah, look, I think we just questioned whether something really happened. We obviously felt like it was quite tactical from India to try and slow the game down. But I think in the end it actually worked out quite well because we also got a bit of a refreshment, and it just gave me a few seconds to restart my head and my game plans as well. I think in the end it worked out quite well. But, yeah, we knew it was quite tactical. They really tried to slow the game down, especially with starting the over quite well, and then it was all about just slowing things down. But like I said, it worked out quite well for us," said de Klerk.
The 25-year-old South African all-rounder said things became a bit tricky after Tryon got out.
"It got a bit more tricky when (Chloe) got out, but I guess it's just about the belief and the character at the end of the day, and we just wanted to stick it out and fight really hard because we knew how important this game was for our team," de Klerk said..
"Really glad we got over the line. I think the most important part is, and we've seen it in this World Cup, is you just have to stick it out. Doesn't matter if you're batting No.8 or No.9; you just have to give yourself a chance. I mean, Richa (Ghosh) did it today for India as well. Just try and bat time," said de Klerk.
She added that they were confident of chasing 250 after their superb batting effort against New Zealand, when they scored 234/4 in 40.5 overs.
“We were pretty confident in chasing 250. I think we made it a bit harder for ourselves than we would have liked. But, like I said, there's a lot of positives and glad we got over the line today," she added.
Skipper Wolvaardt described de Klerk's innings as incredible and special.
"It was incredible. I don't think I have seen something like that in my career. That was a special innings. I am still at a loss for words. We found ourselves in a little bit of a pickle. We have had lots of conversations about the first game and how to deal with it. We knew we were ahead of them runs-wise. We wanted to take the game deep and needed something special. We got that.
"So special, she (de Klerk) has been hitting like that in the nets against all our bowlers, and glad that it came off in the game. She timed the chase really well," she added.
Indeed, it was a special innings by a player who was full of the belief that they could do it. Now, South Africa must ride the momentum all the way through this tournament.
The South African men's team dismissed the 'chokers' tag by winning the World Test Championships title last year.
Perhaps 2025 will be the turn of the women's team to claim their first ICC title. The ball is now in their court to carry it all the way to the crown.
