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India clinched a six-wicket victory over South Africa in the third and final ODI, securing a 3-0 series sweep at M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.
Her performance capped off an exceptional series, where she amassed 343 runs, including two centuries in the earlier games. This tally set a new record for the most runs in a three-match women’s series, surpassing Laura Wolvaardt’s 335 against Sri Lanka in April 2024.
Mandhana's innings featured an array of exquisite shots, particularly on the offside, where she scored seven of her 11 boundaries. Her partnerships of 61 runs with Shafali Verma (25) and 62 runs with Priya Punia (28) laid a solid foundation for India's chase.
A top edge off Ayabonga Khaka's delivery saw her caught at short fine leg. However, India comfortably completed the chase with 9.2 overs to spare. Earlier, South Africa had a promising start but suffered a dramatic collapse, losing eight wickets for just 76 runs.
Wolvaardt’s fluent innings featured beautiful cover drives and powerful pulls, and she seemed set for a big score. However, her dismissal in the 20th over, courtesy of an outstanding catch by Arundhati Reddy, triggered South Africa’s downfall.
Brits followed soon after, run out for 38 after a mix-up with Marizanne Kapp, who had been promoted to no.3 following her century in the previous game.
Despite late cameos from Nadine de Klerk and Mieke de Ridder, South Africa managed to post only 215, as India's bowlers maintained tight control. Reddy emerged as the best bowler of the day, finishing with figures of 2 for 36 in ten overs.
The match briefly faced a threat of interruption due to slight drizzle after the first innings, but it quickly fizzled out, much like South Africa’s batting.
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