After a superb bowling performance by Rajeshwari Gaikwad (3 for 9), the Indian women’s team defeated South Africa by nine wickets on Tuesday, Shefali Verma (60) and skipper Smriti Mandana (not 48). However, South Africa won the three-match series 2–1. South Africa batted first and scored 112 for seven. With nine overs remaining, India won the match by 114 runs. Shefali, who topped the T20 rankings, shared 60 runs for the first wicket with 96 off 30 balls with seven fours and five sixes. Shefali hit nine fours in his 28-ball innings.
India went down to chase and Shefali made a brilliant start by scoring 18 runs in the first over with three fours and a six. He hit two sixes in the third over against Tumi Sehukunne and then Nadine de Clarke in the fourth over. He then hit a hat-trick in Smriti Ismail. Shefali also hit a boundary in the over. In six overs of the powerplay, India lost 71 runs. India’s batsmen continued their innings even after the powerplay. Shefali hit four fours and a six in 26 balls.
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He hit his first delivery to Nondumiso Sangu in the ninth over, but Ismail was caught after another big shot in the third delivery. Subsequently, Smriti gave the Indian team a nine-wicket win with three consecutive fours in the last three balls of the 11th over. Earlier, India won the toss and decided to bowl first, as Rajeshwari proved on the second over by sending On Bosch to open the account. Rajeshwari then added the fourth over of the innings. Opener Liezel Lee embraced the life of Deepti Sharma, but Rajeshwari bowled in the fourth delivery of the sixth over and brought great comfort to the Indian team.
South Africa were able to score only 15 for two in the six-over power play, during which Rajeshwari took two for two in his three overs. Radha Yadav, who came for bowling after the aftermath, sent Laura Walworth to the pavilion without opening an account. Deepti did a dive this time and got a fantastic catch. India’s bowlers were not allowed to bowl to their South African batsmen. Faye Tunnecliffe, who played the first game of the series, eased the pressure by hitting boundaries in the 11th over but Simran Bahadur bowled in the same over and scored 18 off 35 balls.
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Harleen Deol, who came to bowl in the 14th over, scored two boundaries in his over and Captain Suney attempted to speed up the run. Smriti delivered the ball to Rajeshwar in the next over and he gave the team another success by dismissing Nadine de Clerk (nine runs). Deepti gave South Africa a big shot by bowling captain Sune Luce in spectacular rhythm. Luce scored 28 off 25 balls with the help of three boundaries. Lara Goodall and wicketkeeper Sinaloa Jaffa scored a quick run in the last over to score 112 for South Africa. Immediately after hitting the ground, Jafta hit Simran Bahadur’s ball and hit two boundaries. In this 17th over of the innings, Goodall sent the ball to the boundary. However, Arundhati threw his 16-ball innings with nine balls to spare. Goodall remained unbeaten after scoring 25 off 17 balls. He hit two boundaries in his innings. For India, Arundhati, Radha, Deepthi and Simran each took one wicket.
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