Durban, Apr 18 (PTI) A scratchy India will look to address their batting frailties in the backend and hope for an improved show from the pacers as they aim to bounce back against South Africa in the second women’s T20I here on Sunday.
India never really got any momentum and from 119 for 2 in the 15th over, the visitors ended up with 157 for seven, a target that was comfortably chased down with five balls to spare, with South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt smashing a 39-ball 59.
India got off to a flier with Shafali Verma (34 off 20) leading their charge, but her more accomplished opening partner Smriti Mandhana (13 off 14) did not last long. The fall of two wickets late in the powerplay put the brakes on India’s scoring rate.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (47 not out off 33) and Jemimah Rodrigues (36 off 29) then steadied the innings with a 71-run stand off 51 balls in the middle overs, but India failed to produce the final flourish, managing only 33 runs in the last five overs while losing three wickets.
Come Sunday, India will need to capitalise on the foundation, with the onus on the lower order to deliver in the backend and provide a defendable total.
“We could not capitalise as a batting unit. But positives for us is that even though we lost our way in the bowling innings, we came back really well to take this match to the last over. A lot of learnings for sure,” Mandhana said.
India, who have won their last four series, were also wayward with the ball, conceding 14 wides — their second-highest tally in T20Is.
Pacers Renuka Singh Thakur (0/25), Arundhati Reddy (1/28) and Kashvee Gautam (0/29) struggled for control in their three overs each, while spinners Shreyanka Patil (2/26) and Shree Charani (1/26) were effective.
India were also sloppy in the field, with Renuka Singh and substitute Anushka Sharma dropping catches at the death — an area they would look to improve.
“We’ve had one month almost after the Australia series. Everyone’s getting into the groove, so I’m sure this match, we’ll all go back and think about what we have to work on and come back stronger,” Mandhana said.
“Next match, day match, we had two sessions in the afternoon here when we came. So, I’m sure that all the girls will be well prepped.” With the T20 World Cup scheduled in the UK in a couple of months, the ODI champions India will look to maximise this five-match series.
South Africa, on the other hand, were disciplined in all three departments, with Wolvaardt setting up the chase with a clinical fifty and Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen completing the job with some big hits towards the end.
The hosts carried the momentum of restricting India below 160 into the chase, with Sune Luus providing a brisk start with three boundaries in her seven-ball cameo.
Wolvaardt then added 48 and 52 runs with Tazmin Brits (10) and Dercksen (44) respectively as South Africa never looked under pressure.
In the bowling department, pacer Ayabonga Khaka (3/16) produced a Player of the Match performance, including the wicket of Mandhana, while Tumi Sekhukhune impressed with timely strikes, dismissing Shafali and Rodrigues.
Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the spinners.
Teams (from): India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Anushka Sharma, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, Kashvee Gautam, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil.
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (captain), Anneke Bosch, Kayla Reyneke, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Sune Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Chloe Tryon, Tazmin Brits, Sinalo Jafta, Tebogo Macheke, Ayanda Hlubi, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune.
Match starts: 5:30 PM IST. PTI ATK TAP
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.