Harmanpreet Kaur led India to a thrilling one-wicket win against South Africa in the final of the Women’s World Cup 2017 Qualifier. Leading the side in the absence of Mithali Raj in the final, the all-rounder scored 41* off 41 deliveries to help the team attain the 245-run target off the last ball. The India Women’s team remained unbeaten in the ICC tournament held in Sri Lanka. Chasing a respectable target, India lost MD Thirushkamini with just 20 runs on the board. The opener edged Marizanne Kapp to Dane van Niekerk in the slips. However, Deepti Sharma then joined Mona Meshram to lay a solid foundation for the chase. The pair added 124 runs for the second wicket to seize the advantage in India’s favour. Meshram cut and drove A Khaka for a couple of boundaries to set the tone of the innings. The pair gleaned runs off the opposition as they maintained a steady flow of runs. After getting the measure of the conditions, Deepti too attacked with gusto while the opener held one end up. The No 3 bat survived while on 46 as the SA skipper couldn’t hold on to a return catch that was whacked back to the bowler. Both batters brought up their fifties. The Meshram- Deepti pair had taken the team to a comfortable 144 for one when Deepti was sent back by Marcia Letsoalo in the 33rd over. In the next over, Meshram was bowled by van Niekerk for 59 leaving India on 148 for three. Harmanpreet then joined Veda Krishnamurthy in taking the chase forward, but 38 runs later, the latter departed nicking Kapp to the T Chetty behind the stumps. Couple of overs later, Shikha Pandey, who had joined the stand-in skipper was run out and Devika Vaidya was bowled a ball later, leaving India precariously poised on 210 for six. With 35 runs required from 36 balls, Sushma Verma came in to bat but was bowled by Shabnim Ismail for nought. While Harmanpreet maintained a steady flow of runs from one end and kept the innings in fray she continued to lose partners at the other end. 12 runs later, Ekta Bisht too returned to the pavilion leaving the team on 223 for eight. Having got a foot in the door, SA too stepped up the pressure. India needed 12 off the last 12 balls when Kapp bowled a tight penultimate over and conceded only three runs off it. With nine required off the last over, Poonam Yadav was run out sacrificing her wicket while going for a second run off the very first ball. Three dot balls later, Harmanpreet dismissed Letsoalo for six over deep midwicket and lofted the last ball over long-on and ran two with Rajeshwari Gayakwad to take India to a nerve-wracking win. Earlier, after South Africa elected to bat Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt got the side off to a good start with a 51-run opening stand until Pandey claimed the former in the tenth over. Little over five overs later, Yadav claimed the other opener off her own bowling, Chetty was run out a bit later leaving SA on 99 for three. While the SA batters maintained a steady flow of runs, India struck at regular intervals and stopped them from forming big partnerships. After 34 runs, Deepti bowled Chloe Tyron. van Niekerk then joined M du Preeze and the pair put together 53-runs for the fifth wicket until Pandey ended the blossoming stand by claiming the SA skipper. Bisht then followed up with the wicket of the No 3 bat in the next over. The South Africans couldn’t capitalise on the platform set up by the top order and continued to lose wickets after that. Gayakwad claimed the next three wickets S Luus was run out in the last over with two balls left in the innings. Player of the Match: Deepti Sharma Player of the Series: S Luus