Chennai: The Indian women’s cricket team showcased an extraordinary performance as they triumphed over South Africa by 10 wickets in the final match of the 2024 women’s T20 series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
The series concluded in a 1-1 draw after the second T20 match was washed out on Sunday. Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl first, setting the stage for a dominant display by the Indian bowlers.
Pooja Vastrakar spearheaded the bowling attack, taking four crucial wickets, while Radha Yadav’s remarkable spell of 3/6 helped dismantle the South African batting lineup, restricting them to a mere 84 runs. Tazmin Brits was the top scorer for South Africa with 20 runs.
South Africa’s innings struggled from the start as captain Laura Wolvaardt (9) and veteran Marizanne Kapp (10) fell early in the powerplay. Tazmin Brits was dismissed by Deepti Sharma in the eighth over, and Anneke Bosch was trapped LBW by Pooja Vastrakar for 17 in the 11th over. The wickets continued to tumble, with Vastrakar and Yadav wreaking havoc.
Radha Yadav’s exceptional economy, conceding just six runs in her three overs, including a maiden, was a highlight of the match. Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, and Deepti Sharma each chipped in with a wicket, bowling out South Africa for 84 in 17.1 overs.
Chasing a modest target, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on an unbeaten 88-run partnership, sealing the victory in just 10.5 overs. Mandhana led the charge with a splendid half-century, scoring 54* off 40 deliveries, including eight boundaries and two sixes. Verma contributed 27 off 25 balls with three fours.
The comprehensive win marked a fitting end to the series, highlighting the strength and depth of the Indian women’s cricket team.
IND-W vs SA-W 3rd T20 2024 brief scores: South Africa: 84/10 in 17.1 overs (Tazmin Brits 20; Pooja Vastrakar 4/13, Radha Yadav 3/6) India: 88/0 in 10.5 overs (Smriti Mandhana 54*, Shafali Verma 27*)
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