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Opting to bat first, SA finished with 166/5 (Lourens 61 off 44).
In reply, India finished with 170/3 in 16.3 overs (Sehrawat 92* off 57).
Shweta Sehrawat is declared the player of the match. Here’s a look at her wagon wheel:
IND 170/3 (16.3 overs): Shweta Sehrawat finishes the match in style with another four. She remains unbeaten on a fantastic 92 off 57. An emphatic victory for India, this. It seemed the chase would test them but they dominated it. Skipper Shafali Verma got a superb 45 off 16 at the top of the order before her opening partner and deputy Shweta took over.
India win by 7 wickets!
IND 165/3 (16.1 overs): OUT! Well, something to cheer about for SA out of nowhere. Landsman strikes as Tiwari finds the fielder at long-on. A disappointing dismissal for the talented right-hander, with India needed just two runs to win. The new batter is Sonia Mendhiya.
IND 164/2 (16 overs): Two more fours for Shweta. The right-hander has been simply magnificent today. India are just three runs away from victory.
IND 153/2 (15 overs): Two more fours for Shweta. Hlubi was a bit all over the place in that over and the India vice-captain didn’t miss out. A cracking square-cut in there. India need 14 off 30.
IND 141/2 (14 overs): Shweta is continuing to dominate the SA bowlers. She hits Landsman for two fours as India inch closer to victory.
IND 132/2 (13 overs): Right-arm pacer Hlubi returns to the attack and does well to bowl four consecutive dot balls to Tiwari, but the right-hander flicks the last ball stylishly in the gap for four.
IND 126/2 (12 overs): Landsman, another leg-spinner, joins the attack and Shweta cuts one for four. India now need 41 off 48.
IND 121/2 (11 overs): Fifty for Shweta Sehrawat! She was off to a slow start but accelerated brilliantly to get a half-century off 37 balls. The right-hander hits Naidu for a hat-trick of fours to end the over.
IND 106/2 (10.1 overs): OUT! Naidu strikes immediately after the drinks interval as Trisha is stumped. Wonderfully bowled by the leg-spinner. Trisha walks back for 15 off 11 as Soumya Tiwari comes to the crease.
IND 106/1 (10 overs): Classy batting by Trisha. The right-hander sweeps one from Smit in the air for four before stepping down and driving one over cover for another four. India are well on top at the halfway mark of their chase. They need 61 runs to win off 60 balls.
IND 95/1 (9 overs): Another solid over for India as Shweta hits Reyneke for three fours. The right-hander even got a bit lucky as a catch was put down at deep mid-wicket.
IND 81/1 (8 overs): Smit drops one short and Trisha pulls it in the gap for four. But the end of a successful over for the hosts.
IND 77/1 (7.1 overs): OUT! Smit strikes with her first ball and gets the big wicket of Shafali. The right-hander departs for a stunning 45 off 16 after being caught at long-on. The new batter is the immensely-talented G Trisha.
IND 77/0 (7 overs): Seven runs come from Reyneke’s second over as Shweta picks up another boundary.
IND 70/0 (6 overs): Shafali Verma, take a bow! The India captain hits right-arm pacer Nini for 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 6 in one over. She made that look easy too. South Africa had a great powerplay and India have bettered it.
IND 44/0 (5 overs): Shweta is continuing to grow in confidence, the right-hander hits Reyneke for two fours this time.
IND 36/0 (4 overs): Big over for India! Much better from Shweta as she hits Naidu for two fours, Shafali then ends another over with a four.
IND 23/0 (3 overs): Hlubi keeps Shweta quiet but Shafali thumps the last ball over mid-off for four. Shweta struggling a bit to find the gaps.
IND 16/0 (2 overs): Leg-spinner Naidu takes the new ball from the other end and does well to bowl five dot balls, even as Shweta pulls one straight over for four.
IND 12/0 (1 over): Good start for India as Shafali hits right-arm pacer Hlubi for two fours in the first over.
6.43 pm: India’s chase is underway. Captain Shafali Verma and vice-captain Shweta Sehrawat are at the crease. Target: 167.
END OF INNINGS: South Africa finish with a daunting total of 166/5. Smit hits Sonam for three fours in the last over. Shafali Verma and Co will need a special effort to chase this down. India bowled one over of pace and 19 overs of spin after that.
SA 152/5 (19 overs): Shafali did well in the penultimate over but drifted down leg with the last ball and was swept by Meso for four.
SA 142/5 (17.4 overs): OUT! Parshavi Chopra gets her first wicket as Madison Landsman is dismissed LBW after an impressive knock of 32 off 17.
SA 137/4 (17 overs): Landsman and Meso hit Shafali for a four each to make it a good over for South Africa after the wicket.
SA 126/4 (16.1 overs): OUT! Lourens is run-out for 60 after a wonderful knock. A superb throw from the deep by Trisha gets India the wicket.
SA 125/3 (16 overs): Sonam returns to the attack and does well to concede just three runs off the first five balls but Landsman moves across and whips the last one for six.
SA 116/3 (15 overs): Huge over for SA! Tiwari comes on to bowl some off-spin and Landsman hits her for four fours. Just the sort of push the hosts were looking for. India need quick wickets again.
SA 100/3 (14 overs): A welcome boundary for SA as Landsman gets a thick outside edge off Mendhiya. Shafali with a fine diving stop at cover to end the over.
SA 89/3 (12.3 overs): OUT! Second wicket for skipper Shafali. Reyneke finds Trisha in the deep and SA are three down.
SA 88/2 (12 overs): Parshavi continuing to keep things tight, just four runs come from her third over. Lourens survives a run-out by diving in but seems to have hurt her right arm in the process.
SA 84/2 (11 overs): Fifty for Simone Lourens! The 15-year-old right-handed opener gets there in just 33 balls. She was ultra aggressive from the get-got and has played some fine strokes to put her team in a promising position.
SA 80/2 (10 overs): Parshavi is mixing up her flight and length wonderfully, just three runs come from her second over.
SA 77/2 (9 overs): Mendhiya returns to bowl her second over and concedes five runs. SA playing with a lot more restraint at the moment.
SA 72/2 (8 overs): Leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra comes on to bowl and concedes just two runs in her first over. India are pulling things back.
SA 70/2 (7 overs): Sonia Mendhiya joins the attack and bowls a tidy over as well.
SA 64/2 (6 overs): Another nice, quiet over for India as Archana concedes just a wide and a single. But that powerplay belonged to South Africa, surely.
SA 61/2 (4.4 overs): OUT! Another wicket for India! Skipper Shafali Verma joins the attack and cleans up her counterpart Oluhle Siyo.
SA 56/1 (4 overs): OUT! India get their first wicket after a blazing start for south Africa. Elandri Janse van Rensburg (23) miscues one and Richa Ghosh takes a simple catch. Sonam Yadav gets the breakthrough.
SA 45/0 (3 overs): Another big over for South Africa is Elandri gets in on the act. Off-spinner Archana Devi joins the attack and she’s hit for six and four by the right-hander.
SA 33/0 (2 overs): There is no stopping Lourens! India turn to spin immediately in left-arm spinner Sonam Yadav but she too is hit for a hat-trick of fours by the right-hander.
SA 20/0 (1 over): A super start for South Africa. Shabnam errs in length and bowls too short to begin her spell (perhaps some nerves there for the 15-year-old), she’s hit by the right-handed Lourens for 6, 6, 4, 4.
5.15 pm: The players have taken the field and we’re ready for play. Shabnam has the new ball in hand for India. Here we go!
Playing XIs
India: Shweta Sehrawat, Shafali Verma (c), Gongadi Trisha, Soumya Tiwari, Richa Ghosh (w), Sonia Mendhiya, Hrishita Basu, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Shabnam MD, Sonam Yadav.
South Africa: Elandri Rensburg, Simone Lourens, Oluhle Siyo (c), Kayla Reyneke, Madison Landsman, Karabo Meso (w), Miane Smit, Jenna Evans, Seshnie Naidu, Ayanda Hlubi, Ntabiseng Nini.
TOSS: South Africa have won the toss and opted to bat first.
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup match between India and South Africa at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
Shafali Verma and Co swept a bilateral series against South Africa 4-0 recently. In their two warmup matches before the World Cup, India beat Australia before going down against Bangladesh. Since it is the inaugural edition of the tournament, it is perhaps difficult to say which team is the favourite, but India surely have a strong squad at their disposal. Today, they will be keen to his the ground running quickly and get the win against hosts South Africa.
Here’s a look at India’s squad:
Shafali Verma (c), Shweta Sehrawat (vc), Richa Ghosh (wk), G Trisha, Soumya Tiwari, Sonia Mendhiya, Hurley Gala, Hrishita Basu (wk), Sonam Yadav, Mannat Kashyap, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Titas Sadhu, Falak Naz, Shabnam.
Standby players: Shikha, Najla CMC, Yashashree.
India's schedule for group stage
Day | Date | Time | Opposition | Venue |
---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday | January 14 | 5.15 pm IST | South Africa | Willowmoore Park, Benoni |
Monday | January 16 | 1.30 pm IST | UAE | Willowmoore Park, Benoni |
Wednesday | January 18 | 5.15 pm IST | Scotland | Willowmoore Park B, Benoni |
Also read:
U19 Women’s T20 World Cup: You know Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh, meet rest of India’s squad
ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup: Squads, format, schedule, broadcasters – a ready reckoner
Screenshots in the blog courtesy FanCode and Disney+ Hotstar.