VISAKHAPATNAM: India’s top-order batters will have to shed their diffident ways against a rejuvenated South Africa to instil more momentum into their slow-brewing ICC Women’s World Cup campaign here on Thursday.

A glance at the points table will show India’s comfortable second position — the host can slip to third if Australia beat Pakistan on Wednesday in Colombo — with two wins from as many games.

But beneath that glossy exterior, India has a mounting worry in the lack of runs so far from talismanic Smriti Mandhana, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and the energetic Jemimah Rodrigues.

The troika faltered against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, forcing India to rely on the second line in Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma for the rescue act.

India was 124 for six against Lanka

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