South Africa registered a thrilling win over India by 12 runs in the first T20I of the three-match T20I series at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Friday, July 05. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues shone with the bat but their efforts went in vain as South African bowlers did an excellent job of restricting the host to 177 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs.
South Africa posted 189/4 in 20 overs thanks to half-centuries from Tazmin Brits (81 off 56) and Marizanne Kapp (57 off 33) in a low-scoring match. With two-wicket hauls apiece from Pooja Vastrakar (2-23) and Radha Yadav (2-40), the Indian women attempted to halt the run flow.
Even though Jamimah Rodrigues hit a massive 53 off 30 balls in the end of the innings to help the Indians chase 190, they were narrowly defeated. India lost by 12 runs after managing just 177/4 in 20 overs.
After choosing to field first, South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (33 off 22) and Tazmin Brits amassed 50 runs for the opening wicket partnership, making it difficult for the Indian team to make any early progress. When Radha Yadav got a slower one past Wolvaardt’s defences, she disrupted her stumps and played across the line, ending the partnership.
The total reached triple figures when Brits and Kapp combined for a second-wicket partnership of 96 runs. The fact that the Indians missed a couple of opportunities also aided them.
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After hammering seven boundaries and scooping one six in 40 balls, Brits reached her half-century. Soon after, Kapp did the same, finishing with a fifty off thirty balls that included eight boundaries and one six.
Radha Yadav said that Kapp was the next to fall when she saw the former captain of South Africa slice one to Asha Sobhana at short-third. South Africa scored a formidable 189/4 thanks to 36 runs for the third wicket added by Chloe Tryon (12) and the Brits.
In response, the in-form Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana scored 56 runs for the first wicket in the Power-play to give the Indians a strong start. In the final over of the Powerplay, Shafali (18 off 14 balls) went out after being caught by keeper Jafta off Ayabonga Khaka.
Dayalan Hemalatha could only manage 14 off 17 balls as the Indian squad battled to keep up with the increasing run rate. Mandhana scored 46 off 30 balls (4×7, 6×2) while skipper Harmanpreet blasted 35 off 29 balls. To bump up the run rate, Jamimah Rodrigues hit seven boundaries and one six, finishing with a half-century off just 29 balls.
Even though she and Harmanpreet combined for 90 runs at the fourth wicket, it was ultimately insufficient. With just 12 deliveries remaining, the Indians needed to score 38 runs, and Jemimah hit two consecutive boundaries off the opening two balls from Khaka.
The following ball, Khaka sprayed it wide, and she took a single; Harmanpreet may take a single off the next delivery as well. The target was lowered to 21 off the final six balls after Jemimah hit a double and a six, with 16 coming off the penultimate over.
Nonkululeko Mlaba hit Harmanpreet for a four off the opening ball, but the Indians could only muster eight runs from the over before their captain was stumped off the game’s last delivery. This match saw 366 runs scored by both sides combined, setting a record for the highest match total between South Africa and India in Twenty20 Internationals.
Nonkululeko Mlaba hit Harmanpreet for a four off the opening ball, but the Indian side could only muster eight runs from the over before their captain was stumped off the fixture’s penultimate delivery.
Brief scores: India vs South Africa 1st T20I
South Africa 189/4 in 20 overs (Tazmin Brits 81, Marizanne Kapp 57; Pooja Vastrakar 2-23) beat India 177/4 in 20 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 53*, Smriti Mandhana 46; Nadine de Klerk 1-30) by 12 runs.
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