Durban, Apr 17 (PTI) India never got the momentum they needed to end up with 157 for seven in the Women’s T20 series opener against South Africa here on Friday.
Put in to bat, India got off to a flier with Shafali Verma (34 off 20) leading the their charge.
Shafali struck five fours and a straight six off spinner Sune Luus in her cameo after being dropped at mid-off in the second over of the innings.
Her more accomplished opening partner Smriti Mandhana (13 off 14), did not last long and was caught at cover after failing to get the aerial distance on her drive off South Africa’s lead pacer Ayabonga Khaka.
The fall of two wickets late in the powerplay put the brakes on India’s scoring rate.
Harmanpreet Kaur (47 not out off 33) and Jemimah Rodrigues (36 off 29) shared a 71 run stand off 51 balls in the middle overs to take the innings forward. They opted for a cautious approach post the powerplay as India laboured to 75-2 in 10 overs.
The pressure was released in the 12th over when Harmanpreet hammered pacer Nadine de Klerk for a six and four. Rodrigues followed it up with a straight six of left-arm spinner Chloe Tyron in the next over.
The final flourish in the last five overs never came despite the presence of Harmanpreet. The last 30 balls yielded only 33 runs with the loss of three wickets.
Besides Khaka, pacer Tumi Sekhukhune also impressed by getting timely wickets of Shafali and Rodrigues.
Nonkululeko Mlaba was the pick of the spinners.
India handed a T20 debut to Kashvee Gautam. PTI BS APA APA
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