India Women have begun strongly against South Africa Women in the opening T20I in Durban, cruising to 26 without loss after 2.2 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have taken control early, with boundaries and clean running putting the visitors under pressure in the chase of momentum.
2.2 overs: Tumi Sekhukhune to Shafali Verma—FOUR! The delivery is pitched up on middle and comes in towards the pads. Shafali Verma picks it up well and sweeps it to the deep square-leg boundary.
2.1 overs: Tumi Sekhukhune to Smriti Mandhana—single. A low full toss on middle is tucked through mid-wicket as Mandhana keeps the strike moving.
An early bowling change follows, with Tumi Sekhukhune coming in to replace Sune Luus.
1.6 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Shafali Verma—beaten. The ball is a touch fuller and holds its line in the channel outside off. Verma goes for the drive but is beaten on the outside edge.
1.5 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Smriti Mandhana—one. This one is pushed hard into the pitch on middle and leg. Mandhana lifts her front leg and pulls it to deep square leg.
1.4 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Shafali Verma—run. On a good length and around middle, Verma flicks it through mid-wicket to keep the scoreboard ticking.
1.3 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Shafali Verma—FOUR! Back-of-a-length and angled down the leg side, Shafali Verma punishes it by guiding it wide of the short fine fielder for a boundary.
1.2 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Shafali Verma—dropped. Another short-of-a-length delivery on middle invites a pull. The ball rises off the top edge and heads towards mid-on, but Sune Luus fails to gather it. Luus moves forward and dives to her left but can’t hold on.
1.1 overs: Ayabonga Khaka to Smriti Mandhana—single. Khaka starts with a fuller ball on off. Mandhana pushes it through the covers to get one.
A quick start for India follows, and it will be Ayabonga Khaka bowling from the other end.
0.6 overs: Sune Luus to Shafali Verma—FOUR! Full and around off, Verma lofts inside-out, extending her arms to clear extra covers for a boundary.
14 runs come off the opening over as India make it count.
0.5 overs: Sune Luus to Shafali Verma—no run. Luus slows it up with a shortish length on middle. Verma guides it off the outer half of the bat to point.
0.4 overs: Sune Luus to Shafali Verma—SIX! Loopy and full on off, Verma hits it straight down the line and sends it over the long-off fence for the first big moment of the innings.
0.3 overs: Sune Luus to Shafali Verma—two runs. A flighted full ball on off is met with a powerful hit from Verma. The ball bounces in front of the fielder at mid-off, who lets it through, allowing a couple.
0.2 overs: Sune Luus to Smriti Mandhana—single. Tossed up and full on off, Mandhana gets forward and drives cleanly to long off for a run.
0.1 overs: Sune Luus to Shafali Verma—single. India Women are underway. Luus begins with a floated delivery, short and outside off. Verma reaches out and stabs it towards cover-point for one.
All pre-match formalities are done, and now the action is set to begin. The umpires are on the field, followed by the South Africa Women’s players. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma are the opening pair for India Women. South Africa Women are set to start with a spinner, and Sune Luus—former captain and off-spinner—will take the new ball. The teams have also walked out to the middle with their mascots as the national anthems play, with India singing first, then South Africa.
PITCH REPORT
Jon Kent is pitchside and notes a breeze blowing in from the sea. He also points out that the shorter boundary is on the eastern side. Khaya Zondo adds that the pitch is dry but should play well, with the only potential concern being some weave on the surface. He expects the spinners to come into the game as the innings progresses.
Playing XIs
India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (w), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Kashvee Gautam, Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani.
South Africa Women (Playing XI): Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Laura Wolvaardt (c), Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta (w), Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nonkululeko Mlaba.
These two sides will meet for the first time since July 2024 in this format. Durban will host the first two matches of the series.
South Africa Women won the toss and chose to field against India.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first T20I between India Women and South Africa Women in Durban.
