India Women vs South Africa Women Highlights, 1st T20I: South Africa beat India by 6 wickets

Onto the next one - That is it from this contest, but it's only the beginning of this five-match series. Next up, it is the 2nd T20I between South Africa Women and India Women, and it will be played right here in Kingsmead, Durban, once again. That game will be played on Sunday, 19 April and will begin at 5.30 pm IST (12 pm GMT). However, as usual, you can join us a lot sooner for the build-up as well. Until then, take care and goodbye.

The captain of South Africa Women - Laura Wolvaardt says that it is a great start and a good all round performance from the group in all three departments. Adds that Sune Luus set the tone for the chase early on, and then Annerie Dercksen batted brilliantly, but she (Wolvaardt) would like to be there till the end next time. Mentions that it was a tough series for her against New Zealand, so it is good to get among the runs. Ends by saying that the team was buzzing with energy on the field and will look to do more of the same in the next one.

The stand-in skipper for India Women - Smriti Mandhana says that they definitely started well with the bat but couldn't capitalize as a batting unit. The biggest positive was that even when they lost their way with the ball early on, they managed to come back well. Adds that they are playing again after a month's break and the players are coming back to their best and getting those sessions in the nets. On her own game, she says that she's been hitting the ball well in the nets, but sometimes it doesn't come off and she will look to do well in the next game.

POTM - Ayabonga Khaka - Ayabonga Khaka has been handed the award for her brilliant spell of 3/16 in 4 overs. Khaka says that this game was all about coming back and improving from the New Zealand series. Adds that she just tried to keep it simple and hit the right lengths and the batting also came good to finish the job. Mentions that there is always room for improvement but she knows her strengths and is happy with her performance.

... The Presentation ceremony ...

Let's quickly recap the first innings - Earlier in the game, it was Laura Wolvaardt who won the toss and put India Women into bat. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got India off to a flying start and the latter looked in pristine touch. However, once Tumi Sekhukhune got rid of Verma, the South African pacers started to get a grip on the game. The experienced duo of Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues led the fightback for India as they added 71 runs for the third wicket. However, once again, the Protea bowlers managed to pull things back and kept picking up wickets. They also conceded just 33 runs in the last 5 overs to restrict India to an under-par total.

Need to shrug it off - India Women are the reigning ODI World Champions and they do have a very strong T20 side as well, but their preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup hasn't started in the manner they would have liked. They were a bit shy with the amount of runs on the board to begin with. However, there were just too many loose deliveries and extras with the ball and the fielding wasn't at its best either. There were a few positives as Shreyanka Patil bowled with great control and brought out all the variations as she picked up a couple of wickets. Sree Charani also bowled brilliantly but the pacers need to improve in the upcoming games.

A confidence-boosting win - South Africa Women are coming back from New Zealand, where they received a 4-1 drubbing in the T20 series, plus they are also missing a couple of regular players, but they have managed to fend off this highly talented Indian side to take a 1-0 lead in the long series. After losing Sune Luus early in the chase, it was Laura Wolvaardt who took the bull by the horns and played a breezy knock of 51 before getting out. She was well-supported by Annerie Dercksen, who crucially remained unbeaten on 44 and built a couple of crucial stands to ensure that the Protea Women didn't fumble at the death as Chloe Tryon added the finishing touches.

Series off to a cracking start - A start of a thrilling five-match series and it is the hosts, South Africa Women who clinch the win in the final over to send the Durban crowd into frenzy. The Proteas were always ahead in the chase after that Powerplay, but India Women did well to make a real match of it and take it to the last over.

Deepti Sharma to Chloe Tryon, SIX! Chloe Tryon only needed one ball and she finishes it off in style! Deepti Sharma comes around the wicket, floats it up, full and on middle and leg. Tryon clears her front leg, brings the wrists into play and whips it effortlessly over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. SOUTH AFRICA WOMEN WIN BY 6 WICKETS.

Into the final over we go and South Africa Women still haven't done enough to get over the line. India Women are in with a chance and it will be Deepti Sharma who will try and defend 5 runs. Can she pull a rabbit out of the hat here?

Arundhati Reddy to Chloe Tryon, Overpitched and on middle, Chloe Tryon forces it wide of long on for another run. 6 needed in the last over!

Arundhati Reddy to Annerie Dercksen, Pitched up and around off, Annerie Dercksen pushes it towards cover, where Shafali Verma only makes a half-stop, allowing a run.

Arundhati Reddy to Chloe Tryon, Fuller and on off, Chloe Tryon drives it to long off for one.

Arundhati Reddy to Chloe Tryon, Put down! A low full toss, outside off. Chloe Tryon tries to drag it from there and plays the slog sweep. Gets no timing as the ball flies towards deep mid-wicket. Anushka Sharma (Sub) dives forward with the ball dying in, but cannot get her fingers under it and drops it. Two taken.

Arundhati Reddy to Annerie Dercksen, In the blockhole, on leg, Annerie Dercksen backs away but loses her shape, drilling it to long on for a run.

Arundhati Reddy to Chloe Tryon, Fuller and around off, Chloe Tryon bunts it out off the toe-end towards long on for a single.

Shreyanka Patil to Chloe Tryon, Short and on middle, Chloe Tryon nudges it to the leg side for one.

Shreyanka Patil to Chloe Tryon, Flatter, full and on middle, turns in sharply, Chloe Tryon fails to get any bat on it and the ball hits her pads.

Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, DROPPED! That was the chance for India Women to get back in this game! A full toss, down the leg side. Annerie Dercksen gets low to paddle it away but ends up lobbing it straight to short fine. Renuka Singh Thakur moves to her left, gets both hands on it but spills it out. They cross. Hands on heads for the Indian players.

Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, Loopy delivery, full and on off, Annerie Dercksen taps it towards short cover.

Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, Flighted, full and around off, Annerie Dercksen strides out and guides it towards point.

Shreyanka Patil to Chloe Tryon, Floated, short and on middle, Chloe Tryon flicks it wide of backward square leg, where Renuka Singh Thakur dives to her left to make a fine stop. A single taken.

Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, Pitched up and around off, Annerie Dercksen cannot quite get under it and lofts it on the bounce to mid off.

Kashvee Gautam to Chloe Tryon, Hits the length hard and outside off, Chloe Tryon steers it through point for one.

Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, A low full toss, on leg, Annerie Dercksen flicks it away to deep square leg for a run. 17 needed in 20 balls now.

Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, Back of a length and around off, Annerie Dercksen stabs it out to extra cover.

Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, SIX! That has gone miles! A leg-cutter, into the pitch but sits up nicely for the batter, on off. Annerie Dercksen picks up the length early, uses her long levers and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie. That will release a lot of pressure.

Kashvee Gautam to Chloe Tryon, Fuller and on off, Chloe Tryon drills it down the pitch. Kashvee Gautam gets low on the follow-through and takes the sting out of the ball, allowing long on to move to her left and cut it out. A single taken.

Kashvee Gautam is back on, replacing Arundhati Reddy.

Sree Charani to Chloe Tryon, Arm ball, short and angling into leg, Chloe Tryon works it to the right of short fine and calls for the run. Annerie Dercksen has to put in dive at the other end to make her ground. 25 needed in 24 balls now.

Sree Charani to Chloe Tryon, Almost dragged on! Slower through the air, shortish and around off. Chloe Tryon backs away and tries to punch it away but gets an inside edge just past the stumps, onto the keeper's boot.

Sree Charani to Chloe Tryon, Quicker and shorter, on the leg stump line, Chloe Tryon clips it towards short fine. She wants the run but is sent back.

Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Goes short and on middle, Annerie Dercksen moves back and swats it wide of long on for a run.

Sree Charani to Chloe Tryon, Floated, full and around off, Chloe Tryon opens the bat face and drives it square past point for a single.

Sree Charani to Chloe Tryon, Tossed up, full and on middle, Chloe Tryon pushes it to short cover.

Arundhati Reddy to Chloe Tryon, Tryon gets off the mark right away, and now South Africa Women need 28 runs off the last 5 overs. Good length, just outside off, eased away between cover and extra cover for a single.

India Women keep fighting ib. The physio is in to check on Annerie Dercksen's big toe on the right foot. She looks in a bit of pain but will continue here. Also, Chloe Tryon is the next batter in.

Arundhati Reddy to Anneke Bosch, OUT! LBW! Stump-to-stump bowling and India Women keep chipping away with another timely wicket. Fuller than a good length, Arundhati Reddy lands it on off and gets the ball to nip back in. Anneke Bosch stays back and looks to flick but plays all around a straight ball and gets struck on the front pad. There is a big appeal for LBW and up goes the umpire's finger. 29 needed off 31 deliveries.

Arundhati Reddy to Anneke Bosch, A bit fuller and outside off, blocked off the front foot by Bosch.

Arundhati Reddy to Annerie Dercksen, Shortish length, on the pads, tugged away through square leg for a single.

Arundhati Reddy to Annerie Dercksen, WIDE! A slight mix-up between the batters but no harm is done. Reddy misses her mark again and serves a full ball down the leg side. Richa Ghosh gets a glove on it and the ball rolls to short fine leg. The batters look for the single but decide against it as Dercksen dives into safety.

Arundhati Reddy to Anneke Bosch, Good-length delivery on the fifth stump line, played off the back foot and towards deep cover for a single.

Arundhati Reddy to Anneke Bosch, WIDE! Another one down the leg side and Bosch lets it go.

Arundhati Reddy to Anneke Bosch, SIX! Shorter boundary on the leg side and Anneke Bosch doesn't miss out on the freebie. A knee-high full toss on middle, Bosch goes on one knee and helps it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Shreyanka Patil to Anneke Bosch, Floated fuller and outside off, Anneke Bosch shuffles across and picks the sweep shot over backward square leg for just a single.

Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, Good length outside off, Dercksen hits it through cover-point and picks up a single.

Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, Bowled from the back of the hand and outside off, patted down in front of point.

Shreyanka Patil to Anneke Bosch, TWO WIDES! Too many extras from the Indian bowlers. Attempted loopy ball, slips out of the hands and ends as a full toss down leg. The keeper can't get to it and the batters get a single as well.

Shreyanka Patil to Anneke Bosch, Flatter delivery at the stumps, Bosch stays back and jams it back onto the deck.