South Africa crush Pakistan by 150 runs; India, NZ to fight for one slot
Colombo (PTI): South Africa steamrolled Pakistan by 150 runs in a rain-affected round-robin league match to leapfrog to the top of the points table in the Women's World Cup here on Tuesday.
South Africa now have 10 points from six games and at least for a day, they would be above Australia and England -- both on nine points and pitted against each other on Wednesday at Indore.
After an initial delay, the match was curtailed to 40-over-per side with South Africa scoring 312 for 9 riding on Laura Wolvaardt's 90 and half-centuries from Sune Luus (61) and Marizanne Kapp (68).
However, multiple rain interruptions forced a further revision, and Pakistan were set a DLS target of 234 in 20 overs. They could manage only 83 for seven in reply.
Pakistan were never in contention to chase down the target and by the end of the 10th over, they had been reduced to 35 for 4 when heavens opened up.
Having already played her hand with a useful 68 while batting, Marizanne Kapp ran through Pakistan's top-order, taking three out of the four wickets to completely crush any hopes of a miraculous chase.
Once rains stopped, South Africa managed to get two points that they fully deserved.
Earlier Laura Wolvaardt provided an attacking start, Kapp lent solidity in the middle order, and Nadine de Klerk produced her customary late flourish as South Africa posted an imposing target.
Wolvaardt struck 90 off 82 balls with 10 fours and two sixes, adding 118 runs in just over 15 overs for the second wicket with Sune Luus (61 off 59 balls), who also hit eight fours and two sixes.
Once Luus was gone, it was seasoned Kapp, who contributed 68 and also added 60 for the fourth wicket with Wolvaardt, who played strokes all-around the park.
The normally steady skipper Fatima Sana was taken for 69 runs in eight overs with as many as eight fours and three sixes hit off her bowling. Spinner Sadia Iqbal was smashed for four sixes and seven fours, while veteran Diana Baig gave away 49 in her five overs. It was de Klerk, who has been a revelation as a finisher in the tournament, whose 16-ball-41 provided the final impetus to the team score.
De Kerk hit three fours and as many as four maximums -- three of which were special shots. One of left-arm spinner Iqbal was hit over long-off, while Fatima was punished down the ground and then also hoicked over mid-wicket.
Kapp, on her part, had smashed a half-tracker from Sadia Iqbal over midwicket fence and also hit Fatima over square leg as it became literal run-feast for the Proteas women towards the end of the innings.
Pacer Kapp said she was a bit disappointed as her team couldn't play all 50 overs on a beautiful batting surface.
"It was a beautiful wicket to bat on. A bit annoyed we didn't get to bat the full 50 overs. We had a lot of fun out there. Wolvaardt and Sune set a beautiful platform for us and made our jobs easier to come in and play our natural games. Just gave myself some time to get in and it was fun out there.
"I feel I bat better at No. 5. I like batting with the lower order."
On her bowling, she said: "I didn't bowl too well. Wasn't happy with my bowling. Felt I bowled better in the last few games but lucky to get three wickets. I think everyone's been bowling pretty well and I hope it comes together nicely and we bowl better with every game".
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India proposes preferential trade agreement with Mexico to deal with high tariffs
New Delhi (PTI): India has proposed a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with Mexico to help domestic exporters deal with the steep tariffs announced by the South American country, a top government official said on Monday.
Mexico has decided to impose steep import tariffs - ranging from about 5 per cent to as high as 50 per cent on a wide range of goods (about 1,463 tariff lines) from countries that do not have free trade agreements with Mexico, including India, China, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said that India has engaged with the country on the issue.
"Technical level talks are on...The only fast way forward is to try to get a preferential trade agreement (PTA) because an FTA (free trade agreement) will take a lot of time. So we are trying to see what can be a good way forward," he told reporters here.
While in an FTA two trading partners either significantly reduce or eliminate import duties on maximum number of goods traded between them, in a PTA, duties are cut or removed on a limited number of products.
Trading partners of Mexico cannot file a compliant against the decision on imposing high tariffs as they are WTO (World Trade Organisation) compatible.
The duties are within their bound rates, he said, adding that their primary target was not India.
"We have proposed a PTA because its a WTO-compatible way forward... we can do a PTA and try to get concessions that are required for Indian supply chains and similarly offer them concessions where they have export interests in India," Agrawal said.
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Citing support for local production and correction of trade imbalances, Mexico has approved an increase in MFN (most favoured nation) import tariffs (5-50 per cent) with effect from January 1, 2026 on 1,455 tariff lines (or product categories) within the WTO framework, targeting non-FTA partners.
Preliminary estimates suggest that this affects India's around USD 2 billion exports to Mexico particularly -- automobile, two-wheelers, auto parts, textiles, iron and steel, plastics, leather and footwear.
The measure is also aimed at curbing Chinese imports.
India-Mexico merchandise trade totalled USD 8.74 billion in 2024, with exports USD 5.73 billion, imports USD 3.01 billion, and a trade surplus of USD 2.72 billion.
The government has been continuously and comprehensively assessing Mexico's tariff revisions since the issue emerged, engaging stakeholders, safeguarding the interests of Indian exporters, and pursuing constructive dialogue to ensure a stable trade environment benefiting businesses and consumers in both countries.
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Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) Director General Ajay Sahai has said that Mexico's decision is a matter of concern, particularly for sectors like automobiles and auto components, machinery, electrical and electronics, organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and plastics.
"Such steep duties will erode our competitiveness and risk, disrupting supply chains that have taken years to develop," Sahai said, adding that this development also underlines the little urgency for India and Mexico to fast-track a comprehensive trade agreement.
Domestic auto component manufacturers will face enhanced cost pressures with Mexico hiking duties on Indian imports, according to industry body ACMA.
