The emotions ran high at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Sunday. India, finalists at the previous edition of the Women's World Cup, exited the tournament by the smallest of margins. A spirited South Africa pulled-off a last-ball thriller to break a billion Indian hearts.
The final over of the contest was not for the faint-hearted. Chasing 275 for victory, South Africa needed seven runs off six balls, Mithali Raj tossed the ball to off-spinner Deepti Sharma, who nearly delivered. Trisha Chetty was run out off the second ball. With the equation down to three runs from two balls, Mignon du Preez (52 n. o), eyeing a winning shot, succeeded only in finding Harmanpreet Kaur at the long-on boundary. Even as the Indian players celebrated, agony awaited as Deepti had overstepped by a small margin. Du Preez then scored the winning runs as the teary-eyed Indians watched in dismay.
