Bengaluru: Young spinner Asha Sobhana hailing from Thiruvananthapuram made a memorable debut in Bengaluru in the first ODI against South Africa, contributing significantly to India's commanding 143-run victory over the Proteas at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Despite narrowly missing a five-wicket haul, Asha expressed delight in India's triumph and was seen reflecting on her performance. 

Asha’s debut was marked by a stellar bowling display, as she claimed four crucial wickets in the match. Her maiden scalp of Marizanne Kapp broke a threatening partnership and later she cleaned up the tail, restricting South Africa to 122 all out.

The pitch in Bengaluru favoured spin, and Sobhana made best use of the conditions. Her strategy was simple yet effective: bowling in the right areas with good rhythm, focusing on basic principles rather than attempting anything extravagant. Years of practice in leg spin was clearly evident when she varied her pace and exploited the pitch's turn to unsettle the South African batsmen.

Earlier in the match, India put on a competitive total of 265/8 on the board in the first innings, riding high on a sublime ton by Smriti Mandhana. 

The Indian bowlers never really allowed the South African batters to settle down. Renuka Singh made an impactful start to the game, dismissing skipper Laura Wolvaardt for 4 in the first over. Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch followed asha ssuit, falling prey to Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar respectively. These blows reduced South Africa to 33-3 after 10.1 overs.

Sune Luus (33) and Marizanne Kapp (24), offered mild resistance by putting together a partnership of 39 runs, offering their team a momentary lifeline. However, Asha Sobhana provided the breakthrough by dismissing Kapp, hence breaking the crucial stand.

Sobhana continued to impress with her spin bowling, captivating the fans, while the rest of the bowling unit also contributed effectively to maintain India's dominance in the match. (With input from agencies)