India script history, lift maiden ODI World Cup with SA romp

Hosts India posted 298-7 and then bowled out South Africa for 246, with spinner Deepti Sharma taking five wickets in the final in front of a sell-out crowd at the DY Patil Stadium

- NAVI MUMBAI

Deepti Sharma topped a great all-round performance with a fifty and five-wicket haul as India defeated South Africa by 52 runs to claim a historic maiden Women’s ODI World Cup title at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.

Deepti claimed 5-39 after scoring a fighting 58 to help India score 298/7 in 50 overs and then helped the hosts bundle out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs to seal a memorable victory, becoming only the third country after England and Australia to win both the men's and women’s ODI World Cup.

South Africa's captain, Laura Wolvaardt, waged a lone battle, but the Indians could not be denied on Sunday as they battled hard, backed each other and stunned the world with a brilliant performance. The team had lost three matches in a row and qualified for the semifinals as the last team, but went on to upset Australia and then defeated South Africa to win the title.

South Africa made a sedate start with skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits taking them 52/1 in the Power play. Wolvaardt struck Amanjot Kaur for back-to-back boundaries while Brits hammered Renuka Singh for a six in the seventh over in this period.