Twitter Reactions: India level the series as South Africa tumble in third WT20I

Team India Women. (Source – BCCI)

India Women took on South Africa Women in the third T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on July 9. India won the toss and opted to bowl first. The home team managed to dominate the powerplay by conceding 30 runs in five overs and sending Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp back for nine and 10 runs respectively. Tazmin Britz and Anneke Bosch started building the partnership as Deepti Sharma struck and Britz departed for 20 runs.

Bosch tried her best to hold the innings together but failed to tuck a fuller ball on the leg side and was caught plumb in front of the wicket, scoring 17 runs. Now the Proteas were 61 for four with 10 overs done and dusted. After Bosch’s dismissal, the team crumbled like a pack of cards as Radha Yadav joined the party. She, along with Arundhati Reddy, dismantled the South African batting lineup and they lost six wickets in a span of just 23 runs.

Pooja Vastrakar dazzled with the ball plucking four wickets in 3.1 overs and conceding just 13 runs. She was well supported by Yadav as she pocketed three wickets, bowling as many overs and giving a meagre six runs. Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, and Deepti Sharma pitched in with one wicket each and India were onto chasing a walk-in-the-park target of just 85 runs in 20 overs.

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Mandhana continues her purple patch with half-century

While chasing, Indian openers, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana did not let the visitors sneak a chance and played their conventional cricket avoiding fancy shots. They amassed 40 runs in the powerplay and South Africa saw their shoulders dropping midway. Verma remained unbeaten on 27 in 25 balls with three boundaries and Mandhana continued her golden form notching up 54 in just 40 deliveries with eight boundaries and two maximums. India chased down the target in 10.5 overs with 10 of their 10 wickets intact.

Also Read: Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women’s Player of the Month for June 2024

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