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- India Women vs South Africa Women Highlights, 1st T20I: South Africa beat India by 6 wickets
India Women vs South Africa Women Highlights, 1st T20I: South Africa beat India by 6 wickets
India arrive as one of the in-form sides in women’s T20 cricket, having put behind their World Cup disappointment with a string of dominant bilateral performances. Series wins in challenging overseas conditions, including England and Australia, have reinforced their credentials as strong contenders heading into the next global tournament. The addition of young talents like Kashvee Gautam and Anushka Sharma adds depth, though the team’s backbone remains its experienced core.
For South Africa, the narrative is more about regaining rhythm. Finalists in the last two T20 World Cups, they are coming off a difficult New Zealand tour that exposed inconsistencies in both departments. The absence of seasoned campaigners like Dane van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp further tests their balance.
With minimal changes to the squad, South Africa are banking on continuity and home conditions to spark a turnaround, while India will look to extend their dominant run and assert early control in the series.
A crucial breakthrough for India Women. That brings Anneke Bosch out to the middle now.
Shreyanka Patil to Laura Wolvaardt, OUT! CAUGHT! A twist in the tale? Or is it too late for India Women? Shreyanka Patil drops the ball slightly short on off but pushes it through quicker. Laura Wolvaardt rocks back to pull but gets rushed and gets it high on the bat. The ball gets clubbed to deep mid-wicket, where Jemimah Rodrigues takes a comfortable catch. Wolvaardt departs after a fine knock and South Africa Women now need 43 off 40 balls.
Shreyanka Patil to Annerie Dercksen, Shorter on off, Annerie Dercksen swivels back and hacks it behind square leg for a single.
- Laura Wolvaardt 51 (38)
- Annerie Dercksen 30 (20)
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Slightly fuller on middle, angles in, Wolvaardt fails to flick it away. 44 needed now off 42 balls.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Nagging length on off, jumps up a bit off the deck. Dercksen hops to the leg side and pushes it through cover-point for another single.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, On the shorter side again, outside off, Wolvaardt backs away and cuts it to sweeper cover for one more. The 50-run stand is up between these two.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Dropped short and angled into the batter, Annerie Dercksen rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, FOUR! Edged away! The luck is also with South Africa Women at the moment. Nicely flighted, full and outside off, this one grips as well. Dercksen looks to drive but gets an outside edge that goes quickly past the keeper and rolls away into the deep third fence.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, FOUR! That's powered away. Good length around off, Annerie Dercksen stays put and waits well before hitting it on the up and shes gets it well over wide mid off for a boundary.
Change of ends for Sree Charani.
- Annerie Dercksen 20 (16)
- Laura Wolvaardt 50 (36)
Deepti Sharma to Annerie Dercksen, Flatter again, on middle, tucked across to mid-wicket for another quick single.
Deepti Sharma to Laura Wolvaardt, Oh, another fumble in the field and Laura Wolvaardt manages to pick up a single and she brings up her FIFTY as well. Floated up on middle, Wolvaardt advances and flicks it to the right of mid-wicket before setting off for the single. Smriti Mandhana fails to pick up the ball cleanly and the batters are left off the hook.
Deepti Sharma to Laura Wolvaardt, Flatter on off, tapped back to the bowler.
Deepti Sharma to Annerie Dercksen, Tossed up outside off, driven straight to covers but the fielder over there fumbles and deflects it away to mid off as the batters get a single.
Deepti Sharma to Annerie Dercksen, Nicely bowled. Flighted up, fuller and around off, goes on with the arm. Annerie Dercksen rocks back to a full ball and looks to drive but gets an outside edge down to deep third for a couple of runs. 100 up for South Africa Women now.
Deepti Sharma to Laura Wolvaardt, Bowled flatter and a bit short on off, Wolvaardt rocks back and plays a short-arm jab through mid on for a single.
Deepti Sharma replaces Sree Charani.
- Laura Wolvaardt 48 (33)
- Annerie Dercksen 16 (13)
Kashvee Gautam to Laura Wolvaardt, Hard length around off, Wolvaardt waits back and taps it through cover-point for one more. 61 needed now off 54 balls.
Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, Straighter in line again, flicked away through square leg for a single this time.
Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, Gets away with it, does Kashvee. Full ball on the pads, clipped away but straight to Sree Charani at short fine leg. A few inches on either side and it would have been another boundary.
Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, WIDE! Pace off, a bit short and wide outside off. Annerie Dercksen decides late to go after it but misses and a wide is called.
Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, FOUR! That's immaculate placement from Dercksen. Back of a length, on leg, Annerie Dercksen short-arms jabs it to the right of deep square leg and the ball races away to the fence.
Kashvee Gautam to Laura Wolvaardt, Slower one, full and wide outside off, driven to sweeper cover for a single.
Kashvee Gautam to Annerie Dercksen, Oh, a catching opportunity, but Arundhati Reddy bails out. Back of a length and outside off, Annerie Dercksen stands tall and lifts the ball high over cover-point. Reddy comes in from the deep but takes it on the bounce as the batters pick up a single. Could she have put in a dive? Maybe.
DRINKS! South Africa Women are cruising through this run chase at the moment and it is their skipper, Laura Wolvaardt, who is leading from the front. 70 more needed off 60 balls and India Women will be hoping that this break in play brings wickets for them. It is all about how things pan out in the next five overs or so. The Proteas can take the game away from India, but if they lose a few wickets, it could be a thrilling finale to the game. Let's get back to the action.
- Annerie Dercksen 10 (9)
- Laura Wolvaardt 46 (31)
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Flighted, full and on middle, Annerie Dercksen tries to play the lofted shot but gets it from the inside half of the bat. The ball flies towards long on but drops well short of the fielder. They cross. South Africa Women are 88/2 at the halfway mark.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Good cricket! Slows it up, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt pushes it towards cover for a single.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, FOUR! That is a superb shot! Dragged back and just outside off. Laura Wolvaardt picks up the length early, gets on top of the bounce and slaps it away with exellent timing, beating sweeper cover to her right for a boundary.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Short again and around leg, Annerie Dercksen nudges it through mid-wicket for a run.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, WIDE! Flatter and shorter but down the leg side. Annerie Dercksen moves back to heave it away but misses. Called a wide.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Floated, full and on leg, Laura Wolvaardt tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Tossed up, full and on middle, Laura Wolvaardt knocks it down the pitch.
- Annerie Dercksen 8 (7)
- Laura Wolvaardt 40 (27)
Renuka Singh Thakur to Annerie Dercksen, FOUR! Nice shot! Fuller delivery, on off. Annerie Dercksen backs away a bit. She presents the full face of the bat and thumps it over the bowler's head for a boundary.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Laura Wolvaardt, Pace off, short and on middle, Laura Wolvaardt pulls it to deep square leg for one.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Annerie Dercksen, Uppish but safe! Short of a length and around leg, holds up in the surface. Annerie Dercksen looks to pull it away but gets a top edge. It flies high in the aur but drops safely in front of deep backward square leg. They cross.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Annerie Dercksen, Hard length and on middle, angling in, Annerie Dercksen pats it down the pitch. Renuka Singh Thakur only manages to parry it towards mid on. Laura Wolvaardt is on the ground trying to back up. Her partner calls for the single but she refuses.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Annerie Dercksen, FIVE WIDES! India Women cannot afford to give away free runs! Renuka Singh Thakur errs in line and serves this full but way down the leg side, angles further in. Annerie Dercksen lets it go and Richa Ghosh also fails to stop it as the ball races to the fence behind for a boundary.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Laura Wolvaardt, Slower one, full and around off, Laura Wolvaardt heaves it aerially but on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for a run.
Renuka Singh Thakur to Annerie Dercksen, Full and on middle, Annerie Dercksen drives it off the bottom half of the bat to long on for a single.
- Annerie Dercksen 2 (3)
- Laura Wolvaardt 38 (25)
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Short and just outside off, Annerie Dercksen punches it through cover-point for one more. Just 3 runs and a wicket from Charani's first over!
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Slows it up, full and on off, turns away. Laura Wolvaardt uses her feet but has to adjust to the line and length. She steers it towards point for one.
Sree Charani to Laura Wolvaardt, Flighted, full and on off, Laura Wolvaardt taps it out to extra cover.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Shorter in length and outside off, Annerie Dercksen cuts it away to deep point for a single.
Sree Charani to Annerie Dercksen, Floated, full and around off, Annerie Dercksen goes for the big booming drive but gets beaten on the outside edge.
Annerie Dercksen is the new batter in.
Sree Charani to Tazmin Brits, OUT! STUMPED! Sree Charani strikes with her very first delivery. She tosses it up, full and just around off, keeping it away from the batter. Tazmin Brits charges down the track and has a big swipe across the line, but gets nowhere near the pitch and ends up playing all over it. The ball goes past the bat behind, where Richa Ghosh does the rest. South Africa Women are 63/2, chasing 158 runs.
Sree Charani comes into the attack now for the first time in this game.
- Tazmin Brits 10 (12)
- Laura Wolvaardt 37 (23)
Arundhati Reddy to Tazmin Brits, Good length and on middle, shaping in and keeps low. Tazmin Brits manages well to get her bat down and clips it through square leg for one more.
Arundhati Reddy to Tazmin Brits, Back of a length and on off, Tazmin Brits punches it towards extra cover.
Arundhati Reddy to Laura Wolvaardt, Much fuller and just outside off, Laura Wolvaardt drills it through cover-point for a single.
India enter the contest with strong momentum despite their disappointing exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup. The side has since bounced back impressively, clinching four consecutive bilateral T20I series, including notable wins in England and Australia. The squad blends experience with fresh faces, as Kashvee Gautam and Anushka Sharma earn their maiden call-ups, while the core remains largely settled.
South Africa, meanwhile, are looking to reset after a tough tour of New Zealand, where they lost both the T20I and ODI series. Despite being runners-up in the last two T20 World Cups, they have resisted major changes, with Tebogo Macheke and Eliz-Mari Marx the only new inclusions. With key players missing, the hosts will be keen to start strong at home.
Match Statistics
Venue
Kingsmead, Durban
