India women fail with bat to lose third T20 vs SA
Cashing in on some poor fielding by India women and their own powerful hits over the boundary, South Africa coasted to a five-wicket win in the third T20 at the Wanderers on Sunday to narrow the lead to 1-2 and keep the fivematch series alive.
The Protea women restricted India, dismissing them for 133 on the back of a five-wicket haul by medium-pacer Shabnim Ismail – Player-of-the-Match -and then clobbered the India bowlers to overhaul the target in 19 overs.
TYRON’S KEY KNOCK
Sune Luus made 41 off 34 deliveries while skipper Dane van Niekerk (26) and Mignon Du Preez (20) also made important contributions. But it was Chloe Tryon’s 34 off 15 balls (4x4, 2x6) that took them past the finish line after some nervy moments of their own making.
India would be disappointed with their fielding. Even as Veda Krishnamurthy took an outstanding catch and Smriti Mandhana made an athletic save at the boundary, pulling back a ball that looked like going for six into play, there were fielding lapses, including dropped catches that let the hosts canter to a target that never looked challenging.
Earlier, in front of nearempty stands,
India women wasted a great start to be dismissed for 133 in 17.5 overs.
After losing skipper Mithali Raj early, caught behind, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur built a 55-run partnership. While the two were at the crease, it looked like India would get to a match-winning total. Mandhana was the more aggressive of the two, hammering five fours and a six in her 24-ball stay.
However, just as she looked good for a half-century, Mandhana was caught at deep midwicket for 37 off the leg-spin of Dane van Niekerk.
Veda Krishnamurthy and Harmanpreet added 38 runs. But once Harmanpreet fell, India suffered a meltdown, losing seven wickets for 40 runs.
Ismael was the pick of the home bowlers, taking five for 30 in four overs. She ran through the middle and lower order. The South Africa women matched their male counterparts on the field, pulling off stunning catches. Sune Luus took a brilliant catch at wide mid-on much to the amazement of the small crowd.
Brief scores: India 133 all out in 17.5 overs (S Mandhana 37, H Kaur 48, S Ismail 5/30) lost to South Africa 134/5 in 19 overs (S Luus 41, C Tyron
34, P Vastrakar 2/21)
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