Deepti Sharma and newcomer Amanjot Kaur took the sixth wicket to an important 76-run winning streak. With up to six spin bowling options available on a slow, dry surface, India held off the organizers to start her final T20 World Cup tune-up event with a comprehensive victory in 27 heats.
India, who had to bat first, were without ailing captain Harmanpreet Kaur and a pair of Richa Ghosh and Shafari Varma in the U19 World Cup. Smriti Mandhana was tested early on when he was sent off with just 7 seconds to fire an Ayabonga Kakha into the middle. The South African bowlers kept the pressure on, giving just 29 runs in PowerPlay. The need to move further has pushed India back. Harleen Deol was phased out after a slight mix-up with Yastika Bhatia, who was looking for a second run after cutting the line. On the next ball, Jemima Rodriguez was sacked when she attempted a pull shot. Bhatia, who had been allowed in second, continued India with four limits, including a scoop six in the fine leg, but when she got the side on track, she scored a faster delivery from off-spinner Dermi Tucker. alluded to. Soon she had Devika Vaidya down and in 12 overs she left the team at 69/5. Once again India relied on experienced Deepti to rescue her from a mid-over wobble. This time she had the capable company of her Amanjot who were unwilling to play her second fiddle in her first game. Deepti lofted Tucker with a six on a long on, and Amanjot hit a pair of fours off Kaka to swing the swing. The debutant then hit three more fours by Kakha in 19 overs as India’s total was about to top 140. Deepti fell in the final by 33 overs but went unbeaten with 30 balls 41. Before adding 76 out of just 50 deliveries with young partners. Given the conditions and India’s spin resources, a target of 148 was always high for South Africa and it proved when Deepti caught and bowled Laura Wolvaardt in the second over. She then tied up her fellow opener Anneke Voss, allowing Rajeshwari Gayakwad to wipe out the hitters. The Marizanne kapp started 4 and 6 but India held the hosts to just 30 on PowerPlay. I lost the cup to Devika Vaidya while I was there.Desperately looking for a push.
The writing was on the wall when Chloe Tryon and Tucker fell from deliveries in his 12th over in a row. Deepti put the icing on the cake of a fairly dominant performance in the second half and came back to take two more wickets to secure the win by a large margin.
Brief scores: India Women 147/6 in 20 overs (Amanjot Kaur 41*, Yastika Bhatia 35, Deepti Sharma 33; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-15) beat South Africa 120/9 in 20 overs (Sune Luus 29, Chloe Tryon 26; Deepti Sharma 3-30, Devika Vaidya 2-19) by 27 runs