A late burst from Harmanpreet Kaur (41 from 41 balls) helped India defeat South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers final on Tuesday at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. Needing eight from the last two balls, India’s stand-in captain took her side home with a six and two runs after a middle-order collapse severely dented the side’s hopes. India thus ended the tournament unbeaten, winning eight out of eight matches.

After electing to bat, all of the South African batsmen chipped in with useful contributions. Opener Lizelle Lee (37 from 31) got her team off to a rollicking start before the middle-order batters – former skipper Mignon du Preez (40) and current captain Dane van Niekerk (37) – stabilised their side in the middle-overs.

The Indian spinners failed to inflict the damage like they did earlier in the tournament, as Sune Luus’s (35 from 29) late burst helped the South Africans get to a competitive score. Despite losing opener Thirush Kamini early on, a solid second-wicket stand of 124 featuring the in-form Mona Meshram (59) and Deepti Sharma (71) put the Indians on course.

When Sharma fell, India needed 101 from 105 with eight wickets in hand. Without the experience and class of Mithali Raj, the middle order struggled. Despite getting off to a solid start, Veda Krishnamurthy failed to build on to her 31, falling to Kapp in her comeback spell. India lost three wickets in the space of four balls as Ayabonga Khaka, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail maintained a canny line, and triggered panic into the opposition ranks.

India’s hopes rested squarely on Harmanpreet Kaur as the match went into the final overs. Kapp gave away a miserly three runs from the penultimate over. Poonam Yadav became the ninth wicket to fall off the first ball of the last over. With eight needed from two, Harmanpreet heaved Marcia Letsoalo over the deep mid-wicket fence. Harmanpreet and Rajeshwari Gayakwad scampered for a couple off the final ball to seal the tie.

Brief scores

  • South Africa Women 244 in 49.4 overs (Mignon du Preez 40, Dane van Niekerk 37, Lizelle Lee 37; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 3/51) lost to India Women 245/9 in 50 overs (Deepti Sharma 71, Mona Meshram 59, Harmanpreet Kaur 41 not out; Ayabonga Khaka 2/55) by 1 wicket.