Navi Mumbai | Shafali Verma's robust 87 was followed by combative knocks from Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh before South Africa rallied to limit India to an under-par 298/7 in the Women's World Cup final here on Sunday.
Deepti's run-a-ball 58 with three fours and a six and Richa (34 off 24 balls, 3x4s, 2x6s) provided the much-needed late impetus with a 47-run partnership for the sixth wicket after India's innings faltered in the middle overs with Jemimah Rodrigues (24) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (20) failing to convert their starts.
A plucky South Africa seemed to have spoiled India's aim of a big first-innings total with regular strikes, aided by a pitch which slowed down and provided grip to the spinners as the contest progressed following a two-hour rain delay to the start of the match.
Shafali showed great maturity with a knock that featured both aggression and deft rotation of strike.
The right-hander used all her experience to lay the platform for India, putting up an opening stand of 104 runs with Smriti Mandhana (45), which sent South Africa scrambling for answers early on.
Shafali, who took charge from India's leading run-scorer in the tournament, began with a cracking four off Ayabonga Khaka (3/58) in the second over and signalled her intent by coming down the track for a boundary off Marizanne Kapp in the fifth over, which was followed by another four with a flick off the pads.
Despite Shafali being the aggressor, Mandhana looked set for a big score but was denied a personal milestone by Chloe Tryon (1/46).
Mandhana (45 from 58 balls, 8 fours) had played delicate late cuts and sweeps and even her trademark drives through the off-side.
But the fourth ball of the 18th over from Tryon seemed to have skidded more and trying to cut, Mandhana was caught behind.
Nevertheless, Mandhana ended a fine campaign with the bat with 434 runs in nine matches at 54.25, which is now the best performance for an Indian batter in World Cup history. She struck one century and two fifties during the tournament.
Khaka, who had began by giving away 29 runs in three overs, completed a fine comeback when she got Shafali after a set of deliveries with varied length. She put one for the India opener to loft in the air and Sune Luus took a regulation grab at mid-off.
Shafali was earlier dropped by Anneke Bosch in the 21st over off Luus but the India opener missed out on a ton.
Star of India's semifinal win over mighty Australia, Jemimah appeared to be prepping up for another long haul in the middle, but a superb low catch from skipper Laura Wolvaardt at cover off Khaka foiled her plans in the 30th over.
With two set batters back in the dugout, India's hopes were pinned on skipper Harmanpreet for a defining innings, but that was not to be.
Harmanpreet did well to put on 52 runs with Deepti but just when they were required to shift gears, India were jolted again.
Harmanpreet went deep in the crease to cut one late off Nonkululeko Mlaba, but missed connecting the ball completely and was cleaned up in the 39th over.
India's troubles continued when the fifth-wicket pair of Deepti and Amanjot Kaur (12) could also not trouble the scorers much, with Nadine de Klerk's brilliance bringing an end to it.
Amanjot was deceived by the slow pace when she lobbed one straight towards the bowler and de Klerk flung to her right to take a one-handed catch.
