Cape Town: The Indian women dished out a dominant performance in the fifth T20I against hosts South Africa, winning the contest by 54 runs and clinching the series 3-1.
Choosing to bowl first didn’t prove to be a fruitful decision for the hosts as Mithali Raj scored a 50-ball 62 which had eight fours and three sixes to play the anchor role. Smriti Mandhana (13) opening with Raj was the first one to bite the dust after she was dismissed by Marizanne Kapp with just 32 runs on the board.
But the young Jemimah Rodrigues provided some strong support to Raj at the other end with a timely 44 of 34 balls as the duo stitched a 98-run stand that seemed to take away the game from the hosts. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s quickfire 27 of 17 balls which had one four and two huge sixes aided India’s effort in putting up a big total as the visitors settled for 166 runs in their 20 overs.
After a string performance by the batswomen, it was the turn of the bowlers to step up, and they didn’t disappoint. Rumeli Dhar got India off to a great start, ending Lizelle Lee’s frustrating 13-ball stay at the crease. The wickets kept on tumbling from them on as the hosts were reduced to 44/5 at the nine-over mark.
But a 27-run stand between Chloe Tyron (27) and Kapp (25) revived the South African innings to some extent and Kapp’s 29-run partnership with Shabnim Ismail further helped that cause. But Ismail’s dismissal in the 16th over once again triggered another collapse as they were eventually bowled out for 112 in 18 overs.
Shikha Pandey was the best bowler for the Indian eves with three wickets, conceding 16 runs in her three overs. Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Rumeli Dhar too bagged three wickets each.
Brief scores-
South Africa women 112 all out in 18 overs ( Marizanne Kapp 27, Chloe Tyron 25; Shikha Pandey 3/16) lost to India women 116/4 (Mithali Raj 62, Jemimah Rodrigues 44; Kapp 1/22) by 54 runs