India beat South Africa in first women’s T20
NEW DELHI: India leg-spinner Radha Yadav got South Africa’s free-flowing Mignon du Preez stumped in an exciting final over as the hosts made a bright start by pulling off a 11-run victory in the first Twenty20 international in Surat on Tuesday.
India handed the debut to 15-year-old Shafali Verma, the Haryana batsman becoming the second youngest to play for the country. However, put in the bat, they required the strength and experience of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who top-scored with a 34-ball 43, including three fours and both the sixes hit in the innings. Harmanpreet was trapped leg before by Nadine de Klerk in the 16th over and India managed 25 runs from the last four overs thanks to Tamanna Bhatia’s five-ball 11.
Opener Smriti Mandhana made 21, but the others could not contribute much as India were restricted to 130/8 in their 20 overs. South African seamers Shabnim Ismail (3/26) and Nadine de Klerk (2/10) shared five wickets.
India bowlers responded in style, reducing South Africa to 73 for seven as an easy victory appeared in sight. However, Mignon du Preez (59 – 43b, 4x4, 3x6) led the fight with a superb knock. The 30-year-old kept up the chase into the final over. Needing 18 runs from six balls, they were left needing 12 off the last three, but Radha Yadav vindicated Harmanpreet’s faith in giving her the final over.
She had du Preez stumped attempting a big shot off the fourth delivery of the over and No 11 Nonkululeko Mlaba also fell in identical fashion the next ball.
Brief scores: India Women 130/8 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 43, Smriti Mandhana 21, Shabnim Ismail 3/26, Nadine de Klerk 2/10); South Africa Women 119 all out in 19.5 overs (Mignon du Preez 59, Poonam Yadav 2/25, Deepti Sharma 3/8, Radha Yadav 2/29).
TROPHY SHARED
DHAKA: The final of the tri-nation Twenty20 tournament between Bangladesh and Afghanistan was washed out without a ball being bowled at the Sher-ebangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Match officials declared the game abandoned at 9pm local time (1500 GMT) as the rain showed no sign of stopping -making it impossible to hold even a curtailed-over game.
The trophy was shared between the two teams after the wash-out.
It means hosts Bangladesh got a hand on the trophy of a Twenty20 tournament involving more than two teams for the first time in their history.
The wash-out also rounded off a mixed tournament for both teams as Bangladesh won three of their four matches in the league phase, while Afghanistan won their first two matches before losing the next two.