India Women vs South Africa Women, 5th T20I in Cape Town, latest update: Well, well Kapp is making a move. She is targeting Gayakwad. Scores two successive sixes. 16 off the over. South Africa need a few more of these. Preview: An unbeatable 2-1 lead already in its grasp, the Indian women’s cricket team would look to extend its domination in the shortest format and achieve a rare double series win when it takes on South Africa in the fifth and final Twenty20 International. Having already won the three-match ODI series 2-1, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team is 2-1 up in the five-match T20I series after rain washed out the fourth game in Centurion and the visitors would look to end the South Africa tour on a high. [caption id=“attachment_4365173” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Dane van Niekerk and Harmanpreet Kaur. Reuters[/caption] India have been quite clinical in the first two T20 games which they have won convincingly – by seven and nine wickets respectively – but a five-wicket loss in the third match kept the series alive for South Africa. The visitors had fancied their chances in the fourth T20I but rain played spoilsport as the match was abandoned after South Africa were 130/3 in 15.3 overs. A win tomorrow will make Harmanpreet and Co. the first Indian side to have won two series on a single tour of South Africa. It will also be a huge milestone after having won the T20 series in Australia. India dominated the proceedings in the first two T20Is before they were brought to earth by the hosts in third match and Harmanpreet have to ensure that there are no slip-ups. Senior player Mithali Raj has done bulk of the scoring for India with consecutive fifties (54, 76) in the first two matches before a rare failure (0) in the third T20I. Her opening partner S Mandhana (28, 57, 37) too have done well with useful contributions. However, in the 3rd T20I, Harmanpreet was left alone to carry the team on her shoulders with a 30-ball 48 as the middle-order collapsed and the visitors folded their innings for 133 in 17.5 overs. V Krishnamurthy made an unbeaten 37 and 23 in the two opportunities she got to bat and she would look to stand up in case there is another collapse. However, the onus would be on the top order – Mithali, Mandhana and Harmanpreet – to anchor the Indian innings. In the bowling department, off-spinner Anuja Patil has produced a breakthrough for her team in the first three matches and emerged as the top wicket-taker for India with five scalps. However, she conceded 44 runs from her four overs in the third T20I and she would look to recover quickly. Spinner Poonam Yadav and young pacer Pooja Vastrakar too have done well with four wickets each so far. Pooja had to fill up the big boots of injured veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami and the 18-year-old has delivered so far, taking wickets in each of the first three matches. However, her new ball partner Shikha Pandey (two wickets) didn’t look as sharp and bled 30 runs in three overs in the third T20I. The South African women have largely failed to match their Indian counterparts in limited overs cricket. However, skipper D van Niekerk would look to draw inspiration from their performance in the third T20I match which they won by five wickets. It was a superb performance by seamer Shabnim Ismail, who took her first T20I five-wicket haul, which helped them to keep the series alive. Among others, M Daniels and Klaas have taken three and two wickets respectively. Opening the innings, skipper D van Niekerk produced some useful contributions but she failed to capitalise on the starts. However, in the last match, she and other opener Lizelle Lee blasted twin half-centuries to share a 103-run partnership and the duo will look to produce another good innings. Teams (From): India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Anuja Patil, Taniya Bhatia, Nuzhat Parveen Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Rumeli Dhar. South Africa: Dane van Niekerk (captain), Marizanne Kapp, Trisha Chetty, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Odine Kirsten, Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Moseline Daniels. Match starts: 4:30pm IST.
Highlights, India women vs South Africa women, 5th T20I at Cape Town: Visitors beat hosts by 54 runs, win series 3-1
Well, well Kapp is making a move. She is targeting Gayakwad. Scores two successive sixes. 16 off the over. South Africa need a few more of these.
read more "Highlights, India women vs South Africa women, 5th T20I at Cape Town: Visitors beat hosts by 54 runs, win series 3-1")
Day of rejoice for these spirited Indian girls. They will be mighty pleased after winning the T20I series following the ODI series victory. Splendid tour of South Africa for women’s side, don’t forget, it was the first assignment post the World Cup in 2017. Once again Mithali Raj stood above the rest, showing her class in the shortest format as well. Harmanpreet Kaur did well as a captain and was well supported by a superb bowling unit which was without senior pro Jhulan Goswami; her replacement veteran Rumeli Dhar had a memorable outing in the couple of games she played, not so much in the washed out game but today she picked up three wickets. But the biggest takeaway for India will have to be the emergence of Mumbai’s 17-year old batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who has lived every bit of the hype and perhaps displayed her skills at the international stage.
South Africa fought well in the ODI series as well as the shortest format, but came across a formidable side in India. Overall a good advertisement for women’s cricket that is on the rise and gave the world, especially the boards and the broadcasters many reasons to telecast it regularly..
Thank you for tuning in, hope you enjoyed our coverage. Do join us for the Men’s game that is almost 90 minutes away from now.
Mithali Raj is the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series as well.
Raj: It was a decent track to bat on. Initially there was some movement but then it eased out. It’s important that we give a good start and as openers we believe that if we give a good start it sets the tone for the innings. (On her Player of the Series award) It is always good to be among runs.
A historic win indeed!
This series win, in both odis and T20 games should give such a big boost to women's cricket. Hope a young girl was inspired today
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2018
OUT! Khaka holes out to Mandhana at wide long on. India one wicket away from victory.
Ayabonga Khaka c Mandhana b Rajeshwari Gayakwad 1(3)
South Africa 109/8 after 17 overs (Klaas 7, Khaka 0)
The dangerous Kapp is gone. It is a matter of when and not if for India now. A historic win awaits for India.
OUT! Wow. What a catch. Take a bow, Jemimah Rodrigues. Kapp slogged Dhar towards square leg and it seemed like the ball is heading for a six. But Jemimah timed her jump perfectly and plucked one out of thin air.
Kapp c Rodrigues b Rumeli Dhar 27(21)
South Africa 106/7 after 16 overs (Kapp 26, Klaas 5)
Three singles, a boundary and a wicket. Just when you thought South Africa are gaining momentum after the 16-run over, Yadav dismissed Ismail to halt Proteas’ progress. This match is heading in only one direction now.
OUT! Another one bites the dust. Ismail doesn’t read the googly and gets beaten, Bhatia completes the stumping.
Ismail st Bhatia b Poonam Yadav 8(12)
South Africa 99/6 after 15 overs (Kapp 24, Ismail 8)
Well, well Kapp is making a move. She is targeting Gayakwad. Scores two successive sixes. 16 off the over. South Africa need a few more of these.
South Africa 83/6 after 14 overs (Ismail 6, Kapp 10)
Harmanpreet Kaur comes back into the attack. She gives a lot of flight to her deliveries but South Africa fail to make full use of it. Only five runs come in the over.
South Africa 78/6 after 13 overs (Ismail 2, Kapp 9)
Poonam Yadav comes back into the attack. Only three singles off the over.
South Africa 75/6 after 12 overs (Kapp 8, Ismail 0)
India all over South Africa here. Only a miracle can stop the visitors from clinching their first T20I series win in South Africa. Seven off the over.
OUT! Rajeshwari Gayakwad strikes in her first over. Tryon looks to slam one over long off but fails to get past Harmanpreet Kaur. Tryon was playing a good hand and her departure will crush the hopes of South African fans.
Tryon c Harmanpreet Kaur b Rajeshwari Gayakwad 25(17)
South Africa 68/5 after 11 overs (Kapp 2, Tryon 24)
Tryon is playing responsibly. She is putting the bad balls away and looking to roate the strike on good balls. Another 12-run over.
South Africa 56/5 after 10 overs (Kapp 1, Tryon 13)
Expensive over this for India. 12 runs came off it. Tryon is not holding her shots back despite the wickets.
South Africa 44/5 after 8 overs (Kapp 0, Tryon 3)
This could potentially be the over that might seal the match for India. South Africa lost two crucial wickets and are now in the recovery mode.
OUT! South Africa have lost half their side and are in huge trouble. De Klerk tried to flick this delivery but was rapped on the pad. Shikha Pandey was appealing along with her teamamtes but the ball rolls and hits the off stump; the impact dislogdes the bail. Early end to de Klerk’s innings.
Nadine de Klerk b Shikha Pandey 4(3)
OUT! Shikha Pandey gets rid of Mignon du Preez. She tries to go over cover but doesn’t connect it well at all. Mithali Raj reverse-cups it at cover.
du Preez c Mithali b Shikha Pandey 17(11)
South Africa 36/3 after 8 overs (du Preez 13, Tryon 3)
Poonam Yadav is into the attack. Gives a lot of flight to her first three deliveries. Du Preez cuts the second to sweeper cover for one run. Tryon waltzes down the track on the penultimate delivery and whips it through midwicket. Single taken. Du Preez shuffles across to smash the final delivery but Yadav fires it in and the batter mistimes it to mid on. One run taken.
South Africa 33/3 after 7 overs (Tyron 2, du Preez 11)
Vastrakar into her third over. Tainya comes up to the stumps for a couple of delivers Du Preez moves across her stumps and pulls one off the fourth ball to break the shackles. Follows it up with a beautiful cut shot playing it between cover-point and backward point. Good over for the Proteas.
South Africa 22/3 after 6 overs (Tyron 1, du Preez 2)
The powerplay has belonged to the Indian team. They have snared three wickets and conceded only 22 runs.
South Africa need 145 off 84 balls.
OUT! South Africa three down. Rumeli Dhar picks up her second wicket. Tries to slog sweep it takes the leading edge and Poonam Yadav pouches it at short third man.
Lee c Poonam Yadav b Rumeli Dhar 3(13)
South Africa 18/2 after 5 overs (Lee 2, )
A solid over from Shikha Pandey once again. South Africa have lost the dangerous Sune Luus. Five runs and a wicket come in the fifth over.
OUT! What a response! Shikha Pandey sends Sune Luus’ off stump for a walk. Bowls it fuller and Luus fails to put bat on ball.
Sune Luus b Shikha Pandey 5(8)
South Africa 13/1 after 4 overs (Lee 2, Luus 1)
Rumeli to van Niekerk. Begins with a full delivery and the South African skipper dispatches it over the mid off fielder. The Proteas follow it up with two singles and Rumeli gets rid of the South African skipper. Sune Luus is the new batter in. Defends her first delivery off the front foot. Opens the bat face and runs down the final ball to third man for a single.
OUT! Rumeli Dhar strikes! Dane van Niekerk looks to go over mid on but doesn’t connect it well at all. Shikha Pandey safely pouches it. The skipper goes back for 10.
van Niekerk c Shikha Pandey b Rumeli Dhar 10(12)
 "'Enemy has to succeed once, India must always': Govt on why Turkish co’s security clearance pulled")
 "India shot down Chinese-made PL-15 missiles during Op Sindoor. Now, France and Japan want access to the fragments. Here’s why")
 "Head-on | Operation Sindoor: Winning the perception war globally")
 "‘The missing piece is how it’s presented’: Behind ‘Checkmate: USA vs India’ plan to shake up the chess scene")
 "'Enemy has to succeed once, India must always': Govt on why Turkish co’s security clearance pulled")
 "India shot down Chinese-made PL-15 missiles during Op Sindoor. Now, France and Japan want access to the fragments. Here’s why")
 "Head-on | Operation Sindoor: Winning the perception war globally")
 "‘The missing piece is how it’s presented’: Behind ‘Checkmate: USA vs India’ plan to shake up the chess scene")
Top Shows
