India put up 274/7 in must-win game against SA in ICC Women's World Cup

India looked on course for 300 for the second time in the ICC Women’s World Cup before losing Shafali and Yastika.

Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and skipper Mithali Raj struck half-centuries and set the platform for India to reach a competitive 274 for seven in their must-win ICC Women's World Cup game against South Africa at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday.

India chose to put runs on the board in the high-pressure game while their opponents took the field in their last league game having already qualified for the semifinals.

Shafali (53 off 46) and Smriti (71 off 84) shared a 91-run stand off 90 balls for the opening wicket to provide the start India were looking for. Harmanpreet Kaur came up with 48 off 57 balls towards the end of the innings.

Shafali scored bulk of the runs in the partnership with Smriti and looked at her fluent best en route her maiden World Cup fifty. She put South Africa's best bowler, pacer Shabnim Ismail under the pump by attacking her from the word go.

Shafali collected three boundaries off Shabnim's second over including an audacious walk across the off-stump to whip the South African bowler over short-fine leg. Her entertaining innings included eight fours.

The 18-year-old completed her first fifty of the competition with a boundary over mid-on off pacer Masabata Klaas.

Given the way the openers were going about their business, India looked on course for 300 for the second time in the tournament. However, India lost Shafali against the run of play before number three batter Yastika Bhatia got out in a bizarre fashion.