Mithali Raj and Punam Raut scored fine half-centuries as India sealed a comfortable five-wicket win over South Africa to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
Electing to field, India restricted South Africa to 247-6 and then overhauled the target with two overs to spare.
Pacer Shikha Pandey (2/38), left-arm spinner Ekta Bist (2/45) and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (2/42) were the stars with the ball which helped India restrict South Africa to a below-par total.
Chasing 248 to win, the Indians lost openers Priya Punia (20) and Jemimah Rodrigues (18) early to slip to 66 for 2 in 12.5 overs.
However, Punam (65 off 92) and Mithali (66 off 82) resurrected the chase by sharing a 129-run partnership for the third wicket.
Marizanne Kapp (1/29) broke the stand when she had Mithali caught by Laura Wolvaardt in the 40th over.
In the next over, Punam too departed when she holed out to Kapp off Ayabonga Khaka, leaving India at 196 for 4 in 40.1 overs.
Harmanpreet Kaur then hit an unbeaten quick-fire 27-ball 39, laced with five boundaries and a six, to take India home with 12 balls to spare.
Earlier, put into bat, openers Lizelle Lee (40) and Laura Wolvaardt (69) gave South Africa a solid start, taking them to 76 in 15.4 overs.
Once Lee was removed by Poonam, Trisha Chetty (22) gave company to Wolvaardt, adding 51 runs.
Shikha provided India twin breakthroughs, dismissing Chetty and Wolvaardt, as South Africa slumped to 142 for 3.
M du Preez (44) and Lara Goodall (38) took the visiting team past the 200-run mark.
However, once Goodall was dismissed in the 43rd over, skipper Sune Luus (12) couldn’t stay long either.
Du Preez took South Africa close to 250 before falling in the last over.
India will now play South Africa in the third and final ODI on October 14.
Brief scores:
South Africa: 247/6 in 50 overs (L Wolvaardt 69, M du Preez 44, S Pandey 2/38)
India: 248/5 in 48 overs (P Raut 65, M Raj 66, A Khaka 3/69).
(With PTI Inputs)
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