Indian women’s cricket team suffered a 12-run defeat at the hands of South Africa in the first of the five-match women’s T20 2024 series, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Friday.
SA Women Make Hay, Post 189/4; India’s Chasers Fall Short at 177
Having chosen to bat after winning the toss, the Indian bowlers lacked sting and allowed a rampaging South African side reach 189 for four in their 20 overs; Tazmin Brits slammed 81 off 56 and Marizanne Kapp weighed in with 57 off 33.In reply, Smriti Mandhana-Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur brought India near the target, but the host team 177 for four in 20 overs.
Wolvaardt-Kapp Partnership Sets Foundation, Brits Unleashes Fury as SA Reach 109/1 at Halfway Mark
Before that, South African women’s T20 captain Laura Wolvaardt scored 33 (22) upfront to set the team off to a good start, and she formed a 50-run stand with the opening partner before being cleaned up by Radha Yadav in the eighth over.Tazmin Brits had a quiet beginning at one end, she managed just one run off the first 10 balls of the Powerplay before upheaving herself after the dismissal of Wolvaardt and went on the rampage along with Marizanne Kapp.
Marizanne Kapp’s Wicket Opens Door, Pooja Vastrakar’s Economy and Richa Gosh’s Injury Set Stage for India’s Run Chase
Opening the stand with Brits the two posted worthy 96 runs for the first wicket before Kapp was dismissed by Radha Yadav. Pooja Vastrakar dismissed Tazmin Brits at the last moment while she was batting till the last over and was caught at long-on.
Vastrakar, who clean bowled Chloe Tryon just before that, was India’s most economical bowler, having gone for 23 runs in her four overs. Indian wicket-keeper Richa Gosh got concussion in the 16th over was substituted by Sajeevan Sajana before the start of the run chase.
Smriti Mandhana- Shafali Verma’s Partnership Fizzles Out, India Stumbles to 87/3 as Pressure Mounts
Having a colossal score to chase, the Indian opening partners Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put up 56 runs for the first wicket in the first 32 overs, which was breezily dismantled when Verma, dropped on 18 earlier by Khaka, perished for 18. Mandhana (46 off 30) was caught behind off Tryon in the 10th over and the team lost Dayalan Hemalatha soon afterwards and the Indian team was struggling at 87/3 mid-way through the innings.
Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet could not increase the run rate along with Jemimah Rodrigues. Rodrigues however, brought herself into the limelight in the penultimate over with two fours and one six to reach her fifty. Her lady like knock of unbeaten 53 from 30 balls put India back into the game till the last over. India was in a position to win the contest in the final over and it wanted 21 more. But Mlaba did not lose her nerve and let the Koreans make only eight runs to give South Africans their first win at the tour.
The second India against South Africa Women T20 will be held on the Sunday at Chennai.
IND-W vs SA-W 1st T20 2024 brief scores: Tazmin Brits 81 off 61-ball and Marizanne Kapp 57 off 51-ball powered South Africa to 189/4 in 20 ov against India; South Africa won by 12 runs where India made 177/4 in 20 ov: Jemimah Rodrigues 53* off 38-balls and Smriti Mandhana 46 off 30-balls.