The Indian Women’s Cricket Team secured a dominant 10-wicket win over South Africa in the final T20I series at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. This victory marks their biggest win in T20Is against the Proteas. Chasing a modest target of 85 runs, India’s openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma chased down the total in a mere 10.5 overs, surpassing their previous record of a win in 11 overs achieved in 2021 against South Africa.
South Africa’s Tour Ends on a Low Note After Batting Collapse
Despite two impressive batting displays earlier in the T20I series, South Africa’s tour of India ended with a whimper in Chennai on Tuesday. After scoring 189 and 177 on the same pitch, they crumbled for just 84 runs, virtually handing the win to India midway through the match.
India’s chase was a breeze. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma capitalized on Pooja Vastrakar’s exceptional bowling (career-best 4/13) to seal a series-levelling victory in a mere 10.5 overs.
India Strikes Early, South Africa Falters in Powerplay
Opting to field first, India put the South Africans under immediate pressure. Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp fell cheaply, attempting big shots during the powerplay. Tazmin Brits, coming off consecutive half-centuries, looked to steady the innings. She started to find her rhythm in the sixth over, hitting two boundaries off Shreyanka Patil. However, her aggression was short-lived as she miscued a shot, resulting in a well-taken catch by Harmapreet Kaur at mid-off. Deepti Sharma earned the crucial wicket, leaving South Africa reeling at 45 for 3 after just 7.4 overs.
Double Strike by Vastrakar, Maiden Over for Radha Seal South Africa’s Fate
Deepti Sharma nearly had another wicket after Brits’ dismissal, but couldn’t hold onto a return chance from Chloe Tryon. Tryon also survived a close lbw appeal against Arundhati Reddy in the next over. However, Reddy got her revenge a few overs later, dismissing Tryon with a well-directed delivery.
The turning point came in the 11th over with Pooja Vastrakar‘s exceptional bowling. After conceding a boundary, she bounced back brilliantly, trapping Anneke Bosch lbw and then dismissing Nadine de Klerk two balls later. This quick double strike sent South Africa spiraling from 57/3 to 61/5.
South Africa’s collapse continued as they lost 7 wickets for just 23 runs. Radha Yadav joined the party in the 17th over, taking a sensational double-wicket maiden that effectively sealed South Africa’s fate. She finished with impressive figures of 3 for 6 in her 3 overs, leaving South Africa all out for a meager 84 runs in the 18th over.
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Mandhana Shines, Shafali Joins the Fun in Easy Chase
India‘s chase was a walk in the park for the openers. Smriti Mandhana continued her excellent form, treating the crowd to some delightful shot-making. She started aggressively, hitting two boundaries off Ayabonga Khaka in the very first over. There was a brief scare when a superb delivery from Kapp beat her outside edge, but that was a rare misstep.
Mandhana dominated both pace and spin, showcasing her vast repertoire of strokes. Her knock included eight fours and two sixes, one of which sealed both her fifty in T20I series and India’s convincing victory.
Shafali Verma, at the other end, enjoyed the freedom of the chase. She played her natural game, fearlessly pulling the seamers through midwicket with her trademark powerful shots. With minimal pressure, she cruised alongside Mandhana to ensure a swift conclusion.
