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Dane van Niekerk hailed the efforts of Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon, who she said is “as clean a striker of the ball you can get to see”.
Shabnim Ismail is the Player of the Match: “I always believed in my ability to bounce back. There is no time to sulk on the field,” says Ismail when asked how she felt after being carted around by Smriti in her first over.
This is South Africa’s first ever win against India. Harmanpreet at the presentation ceremony calls for her lower-order batters to show more application at the crease and rued her batters losing their last five wickets for just nine runs.
South Africa win by 5 wickets
After 19 overs SA 134/5 Patil comes back and once again, Tryon goes hell for leather on the leg side. She starts off with a four in the deep square leg region and then almost deposits the ball out of the ground with an enormous six. She is stumped as she went for the winning runs. Yet again, there is little that Harmanpreet could do with Tryon going all guns blazing. Chloe Tryon St Bhatia b Patil 34 (15)
Marizanne Kapp gets the winning run. The series is well and truly alive! South Africa win by five wickets.
After 18 overs SA 121/4 Pandey still needs time to work out Tryon, who makes room and pierces the off-side field with a booming drive, four. De Klerk gets a three as well after Yadav’s brilliant work saves a certain boundary. It’s almost a run-a-ball at this stage. 13 needed from the last two overs as 10 come off the 18th over. Tryon will be on strike.
After 16 overs SA 111/4 Vastrakar is brought back into the attack and India get a much needed breakthrough. Luus tries to clear the infield but is beaten for pace. The ball goes only as far as cover, where Pandey takes a simple catch. Tryon faced the final two deliveries and she was also pegged back by the unpredictable change of pace from Vastrakar. Just two runs and a wicket.
Sune Luus c Pandey b Vastrakar 41 (34)
After 16 overs SA 109/3 One big over would change the tide of the contest for good and the big-hitting behemoth that Chloe Tryon is, may have put the game to bed with an 18-run over off Patil. The over had two boundaries and six. The six was flat and sailed over the deep mid-wicket fence.
After 15 overs SA 91/3 Gayakwad also finishes her spell, and it ends with a pull shot by Luus which pierces the gap between the deep mid-wicket and deep square-leg. It’s a boundary and Harmanpreet has a big call to make. 43 needed from 30 now.
After 14 overs SA 84/3 Mignon du Preez is dismissed! Once again, South Africa look to clear the boundary and the former skipper does not get the elevation on her shot. Veda, this time, makes amends for her calamitous drop catch with a fine running catch. The damage might have already been done. Mignon du Preez c Krishnamurthy b Gayakwad 20 (27)
After 13 overs SA 76/2 Dropped! What an opportunity that was. Once again, Gayakwad’s arrival puts the brakes on the scoring. Luus decides to take the left-arm spinner on and goes over the top. Veda is well positioned to pouch it but alas, she puts down a dolly. That might signal India’s chances in the match slowly slipping away.
After 12 overs SA 72/2 Once again, Yadav proves to be a tough nut to crack using a simple formula – mixing up her slow balls smartly and cramping the batters for room. Unfortunately, she is unable to stop Du Preez and Luus from rotating the strike. India desperately need a wicket right now.
After 11 overs SA 68/2 Pandey is brought back into the attack and she starts off with three bad deliveries – all of them being full tosses. It was a quite reminiscent of the first T20I. It is another expensive over for India as she caresses the ball over extra cover in the fifth ball of the over, boundary. The last ball sees Luus shuffle across, almost AB de Villiers-like, to flick the ball over the short third-man fielder. It’s just the over South Africa needed.
After 10 overs SA 55/2 Once again, there is absolutely no pace on the ball but with the field spread out, Luus and Du Preez continue to rotate the strike with ease. Four singles from it before Luus is beaten all ends up by a Yadav googly in the final ball of the over. India need more of this from the other end too.
After 9 overs SA 51/2 The pressure goes out of the window with a short delivery from Patil, which is dispatched to the fence by Sune Luus. The highlight of the over was easily the remarkable effort of Smriti Mandhana at the deep mid-wicket boundary, doing just about enough to push the ball over the line, saving a certain six.
After 8 overs SA 42/2 And...some more spin. This was expected from India. Lot’s of flight from Poonam Yadav. The off-spinner also cut down the pace on the ball and it’s a tight over, just three from it. A tricky passage of play in store for South Africa.
After 7 overs SA 40/2 More spin is introduced in the form of Anuja Patil. With the field spread out, the South African batters – Mignon du Preez and Sune Luus – have little trouble knocking the singles around. India should have had the field up and applied pressure. Five easy singles from the over.
After 6 overs SA 35/2 Van Niekerk is far from finished and she once again steps out and smashes the ball over the bowler’s head. Another four. However, the South African skipper is carried away and goes for one expansive heave too many and is beaten in flight and turn and is caught well short of the crease. Dane van Niekerk st Bhatia b Gayakwad 26 (20)
After 5 overs SA 29/1 Van Niekerk has made her intentions pretty clear and she takes on Vastrakar, using her feet and hammering the ball down the ground to register back-to-back boundaries. India tweak the field somewhat and Bhatia comes up to the stumps. But...the result is the same as Vastrakar loses her rhythm once again, offering Van Niekerk acres of width. The third boundary in the over comes from a belligerent cut shot. 13 from the over.
After 4 overs, SA 16/1 Gayakwad is into the attack and she immediately has the South Africans in a spot of bother. Van Niekerk tries to take her on but fails to connect or read the turn. Another tight over from India.
After 3 overs, SA 13/1 First loose delivery from Vastrakar and Van Niekerk plays a gorgeous cover drive that races to the boundary. But the young Indian pacer bounces back with a crucial breakthrough. Lizelle Lee has had enough and tries to go over the top. Anuja Patil at long off has all the time in the world to position herself for the simplest of catches. Game on! Lizelle Lee c Patil b Vastrakar 5 (12)
After 2 overs, SA 7/0: Shikha Pandey concedes 7 off her first over as Lee targets the region on the off side behind square repeatedly and gets one boundary for her efforts. Van Niekerk rotates the strike well, she’ll play the Mithali role in this run-chase.
After 1 over, SA 0/0: A wicket maiden to start India’s innings, a maiden over to start South Africa’s. Good lines from Pooja. Captain Dane van Niekerk will face Shikha Pandey at the other end. Not many bowlers get away with a maiden over to Lizelle Lee, good start by Pooja. Great line in the channel outside offstump, her skiddy action rushing Lee a little bit.
Chase underway: The dangerous Lizelle Lee takes strike and it’s medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar who will start things off for India...
India all out 133 in 17.5 overs: The procession continues! Ismail registers her career-best figures and it’s off a hostile short delivery, which rushed Poonam Yadav. Lizelle Lee snaps her fifth catch. Ismail then gets her fifth a delivery later after Vastrakar can’t get hold of her lofted drive and Tryon takes a neat running catch at mid-off. That’s 5/30 for the South Africa pacer. Remember, she went for 17 runs in her first over.
Poonam Yadav c Lee b Ismail 3 (4)
Pooja Vastrakar c Tryon b Ismail 2 (3)
Over 17: Mike Haysman on commentary says, “Klaas shows her class”. As lazy as that was, the pacer deserves credit as the Indian lower-order is deceived by the change of pace. First, Bhatia goes for a big heave and is easily caught by Kapp at deep mid-wicket. A ball later, Shikha Pandey edges one to Lee, who takes a smart diving catch. That’s three wickets in no time and India are in all kinds of trouble.
T Bhatia c Kapp b Klaas 1 (3)
S Pandey c Lee b Klaas 3 (6)
Over 16: Daniels comes back into the attack and she is treated to Veda’s class and hard-eye coordination. Yet again, the left-armer is too full and the first ball disappears to the extra-cover fence. Then comes a lap sweep, pulled off elegantly and that’s another boundary on the board. Not for the first time, South Africa pull back things in no time as Veda’s stumps are in a mess after she is foxed by a delivery that is a touch slower in air and moved away from her. Veda Krishnamurthy b Daniels 23 (14) | India 125/6
Over 15: Veda continues in the same vein. Klaas pitches it slightly wide and she cuts over point and the ball beats the third man fielder. Shikha Pandey is off the mark and South Africa are truly back in the game.
Over 14: The boundaries keep coming for India and the big-hitting Veda gets into the groove with an upper cut, which rolls into the boundary. Then.....What.A.Catch. That was Sune Luus sending Anuja Patil back to the pavilion. Luus had to run backwards, leap and hold on to the ball with a dive – all of which she pulled off with perfection. Given how South Africa have been on the field in this series so far, that was a world class effort. Veda is hurt after Ismail surprises her with a nasty short delivery and needs treatment. Anuja Patil c Luus b Ismail 7 (8) | India 110/5 in 14 overs
Over 13: The momentum has shifted but I just witnessed one of the bizarre things I have ever witnessed in my cricket viewing experience. There is a direct hit and Veda is short of the ground. Quite mysteriously, there is no appeal from the South African fielders! India have crossed the 100-run mark, which came through Anuja Patil’s slash over point.
Over 12: What a comeback this is! It needed character after being carted across the park from Smriti. Shabnin Ismail first dismisses Harmanpreet. It was a rather lazy shot from the Indian captain as she ran the ball straight to the hands of Lizelle Lee. Just then, Jemimah, who was living dangerously, chips the ball to cover and it’s a simple take for Dane van Niekerk. Two wickets from three balls and it’s a big test for the Indian middle-order. A lot rides on Veda Krishnamurthy to anchor the innings.
Harmanpreet Kaur c Lizelle Lee b Ismail 48 (30)
Jemimah Rodrigues c Van Niekerk b Ismail 6 (10)
Over 11: 18 runs from the Ntozakhe over! Harmanpreet is in World Cup semi-final mode here. This is brutal and she makes makes it looks so easy as well. It is not all brute force either, and she showed it with two classy boundaries: One over covers and then cleverly running the ball down to the fine leg fence. The six, though, was classic Harmanpreet – a swivel of the hips and tonking it over the deep mid-wicket fence. India 91/3 in 11 overs
Over 10: Van Niekerk glaring at her fielders has been a familiar sight throughout the series so far. Once again, the South African captain is not impressed as Harmanpreet and Rodrigues sneak a single. Rodrigues gets another respite as she is dropped once again, quite similar to what happened in the previous over – a hardly-hit straight drive bursting through the bowler’s hands. Then, Harmanpreet turns on the style with a magnificent lofted six down the ground. Outstanding! India 73/2 in 10 overs
Over 9: Ntozakhe is tossing the ball up and inviting Rodrigues to go over the top. The Mumbai youngster nearly made her way back to the pavilion as the bowler couldn’t latch on to a firmly struck straight-drive. Just three singles from the over – much needed for South Africa. India 63/2 in 9 overs
Over 8: It is 17-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues who has come to the crease and she gets off the mark right away. The last delivery of the over is cut behind point and the ball trickles into the third man fence. India 60/2 in 8 overs
Over 8: Dane van Niekerk brings herself into the attack and immediately effects a breakthrough. Again, it was a wicket that was planned to perfection. A half-tracker is pulled with venom by Smriti but she doesn’t get the distance on it this time. It goes straight down Daniels’s throat. What a momentum-shifting knock this was, though. OUT S Mandhana c Daniels b Van Niekerk 37 (24)
Over 7: Ntozakhe comes into the attack and finally contains Smriti with a few a few darts on middle and leg. Harmanpreet is also showing attacking intent as she is looking to come down the wicket and wield her trademark heave over deep mid-wicket. Australia would know that better. Five from the over. The fifty partnership between the two came up in just 35 balls. India 54/1 in 7 overs
Over 6: More bad deliveries from South Africa as Tryon starts off with a wayward one down the leg side, which is duly punished by Mandhana. Four. The left-armer, though, bounces back. She beats Smriti off the fifth ball with a slower one. SIX! What a way to end the powerplay. That was as good as you can see as Smriti hammers down over the long-off fence for a six. India 49/1 in 6 overs.
Chloe Tryon comes into the attack
Over 5: Top stuff from Kapp once again as she beats Smriti all ends up, angling one into her. India did manage to sneak a couple after Harmanpreet got a leading edge. But once again, Kapp looks like she is bowling on another wicket. Just four from the over. India 37/1 in 5 overs
Over 4: Simply no respite for Van Niekerk and co, as the boundaries keep on coming. Daniels started well and seemed to be getting a hint of swing. That was the only good thing to have come out of the over. Her following deliveries were too full and allowed Smriti to continue her boundary hitting spree. Harmanpreet also got in on the act, first flicking off her hips to the square leg fence, and then driving on the up to get a boundary while beating the fielder at mid-on. India 33/1 in 4 overs
Moseline Daniels replaces Shabnim Ismail
Over 3: Kapp is on target again. Varying her pace beautifully and angling the ball away from the batter, Smriti, for the first time looks ruffled. The pacer drifted on the leg side off her fourth and fifth deliveries but it’s just a couple of singles from the over. India 19/1 in 3 overs
Over 2: The wicket hardly affects Smriti Mandhana’s rhythm. This is batting of the highest class there as she slams four consecutive boundaries. The first boundary comes from an needles overthrow and it was Nadine de Klerk at cover who was the culprit. Ismail then pitches it short and Smriti brutally pulls to the deep mid-wicket fence. This is followed by two full deliveries, which pierce the off-side field with elan. More sloppy work from South Africa on the field as Smriti keeps strike, sneaking a single from the last ball.
Over 1: What a start from Marizanne Kapp. The ball jags back off length and raps Mithali Raj on her pads. Big shout from the Proteas but the umpire turns it down. Mithali is all at sea in the following deliveries too. Then, Kapp gets the breakthrough as Mithali nicks it to Lee while going for an expansive drive. It was an excellent set-up. Kapp lets out a huge roar and a stare as the Indian veteran makes her way back to the pavilion. It’s a maiden wicket over! Mithali Raj c Lizelle Lee b Marizanne Kapp 0 (5)
Lineups:
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Anuja Patil, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Poonam Yadav
South Africa: Dane van Niekerk (c), Lizelle Lee, Sune Luus, Mignon du Preez, Nadine de Klerk, Cloe Tryon, Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail, Mazabata Klaas, Moseline Daniels, Raisibe Ntozakhe
Dane van Niekerk admits that her side have been sloppy on the field and that they have “dropped a few dollies”. She hopes that her pacers will do the trick for her today. Harmanpreet also said that she would have opted to field first.
Toss: Dane van Niekerk has won the toss and has opted to field first, perhaps taking into account how India have been batting second. One change for South Africa: Ayabonga Khaka goes out, Masabata Klaas comes in. India have also made a change: Radha Yadav makes way for Rajeshwari Gayakwad.
Hello and welcome to the live updates of the third T20I between India and South Africa. Johannesburg is the venue for this contest as the visitors look to complete an unprecedented double series win in the Rainbow Nation. Remember, India had already won a T20 series in Australia and have proved that they are a formidable outfit in this format.
Veteran Mithali Raj has led from the front has been a class apart in both games, steering her side to comfortable wins despite chasing big totals. Smriti Mandhana too, has looked in solid touch even though she rode her luck in the previous game.
The southpaw was dropped twice as she orchestrated the chase with a crisp 57. It has been dropped catches that has been South Africa’s Achilles Heel so far. They simply have to find a way to grab opportunities that come their way, and come up with a formula to combat the spinners in the middle overs.