India Women finish on 158/7 against South Africa Women

Welcome back for South Africa's reply with the bat. Harmanpreet Kaur has her troops in a huddle before they take the field. With no Sune Luus in this game, Laura Wolvaardt walks out to open with Tazmin Brits. India are starting with spin in the form of Shafali Verma. Wolvaardt is on strike. A slip in place. Here we go...

Will 158 be enough? It was the pace bowlers who did most of the damage for South Africa, with the trusted pairing of Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail picking up two wickets each. Given the way the ball pinged off the bat early on, it initially looked like a very good batting wicket, but the slower balls have proved particularly effective. The Indian spinners will be keen to exploit these conditions. South Africa scraped their way past the finish line against Pakistan and will know they need to be far more convincing against this Indian bowling attack. It should be an interesting chase. Stick around.

An innings that never quite took off - After opting to bat first, India started promisingly through their opening pair, but South Africa fought back strongly to remove both openers and wrest back the initiative. The middle phase turned into a tug of war as both sides battled for control. South Africa carried the momentum from the back end of the Powerplay and continued to make inroads. At 83/4, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma came together and got a partnership going. However, true to the theme of the innings, neither batter was able to kick on and provide the finishing flourish India were after. Richa Ghosh, too, could not do much either.

India end up with 158 - The Women in Blue never quite managed to hit top gear, as every time they looked to build some momentum, South Africa hit back with a timely wicket. The finish, too, was not what India would have desired. It is a competitive total, but whether it will be enough, only time will tell.

0

Overs19.6

Score158 - 7

Marizanne Kapp to Arundhati Reddy, Kapp finishes things off with a dot, and India Women finish with 158/7 on the board. Kapp nails the yorker on leg and gets it to just tail back in a bit. Arundhati Reddy gives herself a bit of room again and swings across the line but the ball sneaks under the willow. 6 runs and a wicket off the last over.

1

Overs19.4

Score156 - 7

Marizanne Kapp to Prema Rawat, An appeal for a run out, but Rawat seems to be safe. Kapp goes fuller now, Rawat drills it to mid off and sets off for the single. The fielder picks up the ball and throws it to Kapp, who whips off the bails, but replays show that Rawat was home safely. A direct hit would have done the job, though.

W

Overs19.2

Score153 - 7

Marizanne Kapp to Richa Ghosh, OUT! CAUGHT! Excellent execution from Marizanne Kapp and that's a fine catch too. Kapp takes pace off and floats it a bit fuller around the middle stump. Richa Ghosh has to wait for it and tries to hoick it leg side, but ends up getting a top edge. The ball lobs up towards short fine leg, where Ayabonga Khaka scampers in and dives to take a solid catch. Kapp gets the big fish with 4 balls still to play.

0

Overs18.6

Score152 - 6

Ayabonga Khaka to Richa Ghosh, Back of a length, slower too and wide outside off. Richa Ghosh fails to reach it and wants a wide call, but the ball is just inside the tramline. 14 off the over, a good one for India.

5wd

Overs18.6

Score152 - 6

Ayabonga Khaka to Richa Ghosh, FIVE WIDES! Oh, that's a gift from Ayabonga Khaka. Full and trying to dart it in at the pads, but spills it well down the leg side for five extra runs. 150 up for India Women.

2

Overs18.4

Score143 - 6

Ayabonga Khaka to Richa Ghosh, Top effort in the deep. Full and on the pads, Richa comes forward, converts it into a full toss and flicks it to the right of deep mid-wicket. Chloe Tryon sprints across and dives in to save a couple of runs.

0

Overs17.6

Score138 - 6

Nonkululeko Mlaba to Richa Ghosh, Flat and full again, on off, Ghosh drills it straight to mid off. Just 5 off the over, a wicket to go with it as well for Mlaba.

W

Overs17.3

Score137 - 6

Nonkululeko Mlaba to Deepti Sharma, OUT! CAUGHT! Well taken by Marizanne Kapp and South Africa Women get another wicket at the right time. Cleverly bowled by Nonkululeko Mlaba, slowing it right up and this is flighted wide of the off stump. Deepti Sharma looks for the scoop again but lunges well to the off side and falls over as she plays the shot. The ball gets lobbed to the left of short fine leg, where Kapp slides across and pouches it safely.

1wd

Overs17.2

Score135 - 5

Nonkululeko Mlaba to Deepti Sharma, WIDE! Fired in way down the leg side, good take from the keeper. Not what you want when you are behind the over rate.

4

Overs16.6

Score133 - 5

Nadine De Klerk to Deepti Sharma, FOUR! Down the wrong line, and de Klerk ends the over just as she started it, with a boundary. Full and down the leg side, Sharma gets inside the line and plays the lap sweep past short fine leg for four runs. 11 off the over.

4

Overs16.1

Score126 - 5

Nadine De Klerk to Richa Ghosh, FOUR! Loose ball, and it goes to the fence in streaky fashion. Slower one, turned out to be a full toss outside off. Richa Ghosh goes after it but gets an outside edge into the deep third fence.

A timer graphic shown in the previous over indicated that South Africa were 9 minutes behind on the over rate. We could see them being penalised if they do not make up that time. Nadine De Klerk (1-0-5-1) returns to the attack.

4

Overs15.6

Score122 - 5

Ayabonga Khaka to Deepti Sharma, FOUR! Streaky, but India Women will take it happily! Cross seam, outside off, Deepti Sharma looks to cut it but gets a thick edge as the ball races past short third for a boundary.