South Africa wrapped up a commanding Women’s T20I series against India with a comfortable 23-run victory, thanks in large part to captain Laura Wolvaardt’s unbeaten 92. India, chasing a target of 156, never really got going and ended their innings on 132 for eight, allowing the hosts to clinch the series 4-1.
Once again, Wolvaardt stood out as the key difference between the two sides. She carried her bat through the innings with a calm, commanding knock off 56 balls, striking 11 fours and clearing the ropes twice. Having already produced two fifties and a century across the series, she reaffirmed her consistency by delivering when South Africa needed a steady hand. A late acceleration—hitting two sixes off the final two deliveries—helped the home team push past the 150-mark after a brief slowdown in the middle overs.
As it happened: India vs South Africa, 5th T20I.
India’s batting woes, meanwhile, continued to define the chase. Their pursuit lacked momentum from the outset, with early damage leaving them at 21 for two. Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues both departed cheaply, and after that the innings failed to gather any real rhythm. Harmanpreet Kaur, tasked with building a platform, struggled to find speed, scoring 22 from 28 balls, while Deepti Sharma also couldn’t make an impact.
Bharti Fulmali was the one bright spot, offering resistance with a fighting 40 off 30 balls that included four boundaries and two maximums. Still, India couldn’t string together meaningful partnerships, and the slower tempo during the middle portion of the innings made the required rate too steep. With 79 needed from the final seven overs, the task was always daunting, and Fulmali’s dismissal in the 16th over effectively ended India’s chances of pulling off the chase.
South Africa’s bowling played its part in making sure the margin stayed comfortable. Nonkululeko Mlaba delivered a standout spell, finishing with 2 for 15 and taking a maiden wicket along the way, including the key scalp of Harmanpreet. Nadine de Klerk also struck at crucial moments, adding two important wickets as India’s batting order faltered under mounting pressure.
Earlier in the match, India’s bowlers had managed to apply pressure in spells, pulling things back after South Africa’s strong start. Shree Charani contributed with 2/22, Deepti returned figures of 2/37, and Renuka Singh took 2/21, briefly stalling the hosts. However, Wolvaardt’s composure at the crease and her finishing touches ultimately ensured South Africa posted a total that proved difficult to chase.
The result also lands as a timely warning for India ahead of the T20 World Cup, where inconsistency and frequent changes to the playing XI have continued to trouble their campaign.
