3rd T20I: India Women thrash SA Women, visitors win series
Blistering knocks from Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana powered India Women to a nine-wicket victory in the 3rd T20I against South Africa Women. The Indian bowlers were also in the act after restricting the visitors to 112/7 in the first innings. Despite the defeat, SA Women won the three-match series 2-1 as they had won the previous two T20Is. Here is more.
How did the match pan out?
SA Women made a terrible start after they were invited to bat. They were reduced to 16/3, with left arm-spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad causing them trouble. Eventually, they put up a meager 112/7 as Sune Luus remained their top-scorer (28). Meanwhile, Lara Goodall scored an unbeaten 25. In reply, India made the run-chase rather one-sided as Shafali and Mandhana completed it in 11 overs.
Shafali Verma shows her class!
Youngster Shafali Verma once again showed her class in the shortest format. During the run-chase, she raced to her fifty in mere 26 balls, her fastest in international cricket. This was also the joint-third-fastest fifty for India in T20Is. Overall, she racked up 60 off 30 balls, an innings that was studded with 7 fours and 5 sixes.
Highest run-scorer of the T20I series
Shafali finished as the leading run-scorer of the series by a huge margin. She slammed 130 runs from three games at an impressive average of 43.33. The 17-year-old also smashed most number of sixes (8).
Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shabnim Ismail finish as join-highest wicket-takers
In the bowling section, Indian spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad and South Africa's Shabnim Ismail finished as the joint-highest wicket-takers. The former scalped four wickets at a remarkable average of 14.25. Meanwhile, Ismail snapped up as many wickets at 20.50. In the third T20I, Gayakwad registered the best bowling figures of the series. She took three wickets and conceded mere 9 runs in four overs.
