NEW DELHI:
Asha Sobhana
, India's debutant spinner, expressed her satisfaction with the team's victory in the opening ODI against
South Africa
in Bengaluru, despite narrowly missing out on a five-wicket haul in her debut match.
The young spinner played a pivotal role in India's commanding 143-run triumph at the
M Chinnaswamy Stadium
on Sunday. Her magical spell paved the way for the hosts' success.
Sobhana's maiden international wicket came at a critical moment when she removed
Marizanne Kapp
, breaking a threatening partnership.
She then made quick work of the lower order, finishing with four wickets as South Africa were skittled out for a mere 122 runs.
"Not really, I'm happy that my nation won," Sobhana was quoted by ANI as saying when asked about missing out on a five-wicket haul.
Sobhana capitalised on the spin-friendly conditions in Bengaluru, claiming four wickets in her maiden appearance. When discussing her strategy, the debutant disclosed her intention to maintain a straightforward approach.
"I just kept it simple, I wanted to bowl in the right areas, I was in a good rhythm, I wanted to continue. I have been practising this [legspin] for years, I did not want to do anything extraordinary, I wanted to focus on the basics. There was a lot of turn on the wicket, I did not want to give space to the batters, wanted to vary the pace so that the batters didn't pick my variations. This stadium is very special for me, by the grace of god everything went well," Sobhana said after the game while talking about her approach.
"Pitch is amazing and a little bit of my effort as well. I woke up in the morning today and prayed to god that everything should go well, glad that it went well. [on what the management told her earlier today] They just told me to enjoy, they had a lot of confidence in my skills, they wanted me to go out and explore," she added.
After opting to bat,
Team India
faced some challenges in the early stages, but they persevered and ultimately accumulated a total of 265 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.
Smriti Mandhana
's exceptional performance was the highlight of the innings, as she scored her sixth ODI century.
In reply, South Africa encountered a formidable bowling attack led by Sobhana. The entire Indian bowling unit contributed effectively, with each bowler playing their part in restricting the South African team to a mere 122 runs.
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