Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 47 and a 71-run stand with Jemimah Rodrigues lifted India, but a late collapse restricted them to 157/7 against South Africa in the 1st Women’s T20I at Durban.
Harmanpreet Kaur shines, but late collapse leads to India making 157/7 against South Africa in the first T20I in the women’s T20I series opener at the Kingsmead Stadium in Durban on Friday. Photo credit: BCCI Women/X
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s composed unbeaten 47 anchored India Women to 157/7, but a dramatic late-order collapse allowed South Africa Women to claw back in the opening T20I at Kingsmead Stadium on Friday.
Put in to bat on a dry surface, India made a strong start through Shafali Verma’s explosive 34 off 20 balls, setting the tone early with aggressive strokeplay. However, South Africa responded quickly, pulling things back through disciplined bowling from Ayabonga Khaka and support from Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Advertisement
Shafali dominated the powerplay with fearless intent, but her stay ended in the fifth over, triggering the first setback. Smriti Mandhana (13) followed soon after, leaving India at 48/2 at the end of six overs.
Advertisement
Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues then rebuilt the innings with a fluent 71-run partnership, combining caution with timely aggression. Rodrigues, who made 36 off 29 balls, looked in fine touch with elegant strokeplay, while Harmanpreet steadily shifted gears, including a 15-run burst off Nadine de Klerk.
Just when India looked set for a strong finish, Rodrigues’ dismissal in the 15th over sparked a collapse. South Africa tightened their grip with clever variations in pace, as Richa Ghosh, Arundhati Reddy, and debutant Kashvee Gautam fell cheaply.
A chaotic penultimate over run-out further dented India’s momentum, with four wickets falling for just 33 runs in the final five overs. Despite Harmanpreet’s effort to accelerate late on, India fell short of a 170-plus total, finishing at 157/7.
Ayabonga Khaka was the standout bowler for South Africa, finishing with excellent figures of 3/16, while Tumi Sekhukhune supported well with 2/27.
Advertisement
