Australia skipper Meg Lanning overcame a bout of gastro to steer her side to a six-wicket win over South Africa in their World Twenty20 opener.
Lanning was stricken by a sudden illness in Nagpur on Friday, when she was unable to complete the toss.
Coach Matthew Mott started to make plans for a last-minute change to the XI when Lanning declared she would be right to go.
Lanning started on the field but scuttled off to vomit again as South Africa posted a total of 6-102.
The Southern Stars slipped to 3-9 and 4-53 in response before Lanning and Alex Blackwell stepped up, sharing an unbeaten 52-run stand.
Lanning, batting at No.6 instead of her customary position at first drop because of the long time she spent off the field, finished 30 not out off 19 balls.
"She really battled. She was very sick and we were worried she wouldn't be able to play," Mott told AAP.
"She was really struggling. She was sick a few times on the side of the ground ... came off the field and was sick again.
"Our doc got some injections into her and got her fit enough to bat. It was a pretty fantastic innings.
"It took every ounce of courage she had to get out there.
"To bat like she did, having almost come off your death bed, it was pretty inspirational."
Blackwell top-scored with an unbeaten 42 as Australia secured victory with nine balls to spare.
Ellyse Perry grabbed two wickets and completed a run-out amid a collapse of 6-27 from South Africa.
Allrounder Perry and left-armer Lauren Cheatle both finished with figures of 2-13 from four overs.
"Our bowling effort was as good as we could hope for .. the last 10 overs was pretty flawless. Our fielding was great," Mott said.
"At one stage I thought they were going to get around 125 or 130."
The Southern Stars continue their bid for a fourth straight World T20 title when they face New Zealand in Nagpur on Monday.
NZ recorded a T20 series win over Australia last month, with the trans-Tasman tussle likely to decide who tops the pool.
Mott expected Lanning and offspinner Erin Osborne, who split the webbing in her bowling hand in the warm-up on Friday, would be right to back up and face the White Ferns.
"You don't often describe T20 wins as gutsy but given what happened, it was. They all showed a lot of courage," Mott said.
Share
