South Africa registered their first win of the tour on Friday as they beat India by 12 runs in the first T20I of the three-match series at the M Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Asked to bat first, the visitors posted a massive 189/4 in their 20 overs, led by half-centuries from opener Tazmin Brits and all-rounder Marizanne Kapp.

Brits, who struggled to put bat on to ball in the powerplay, stayed in the middle till the end, scoring 81 off 56 deliveries with ten boundaries and three sixes before she was dismissed off the final ball of the innings by Pooja Vastrakar.

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The 33-year-old Brits added 96 runs for the second wicket with Kapp, who took the attack to the Indian bowlers with her sweep shots.

Kapp hit eight boundaries and a six in her 33-ball 57 before being prized out by Radha Yadav. She drove the South African innings forward with Brits struggling at the other end and captain Laura Wolvaardt falling to Yadav in the eighth over following a 50-run opening stand.

The Indian chase got off to a good start with Smriti Mandhana carrying forward her good run of form to the T20Is as well.

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Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 56 runs for the opening wicket before the latter fell prey to Ayabonga Khaka in the final over of the powerplay.

Boundaries started to dry up for India from that point as Dayalan Hemalatha struggled for timing after starting her innings with a first-ball boundary.

Mandhana (46) and Hemalatha (14) fell in quick succession to Chloe Tryon and Nadine de Klerk respectively to leave India at 87/3 in the 11th over.

Jemimah Rodrigues (53*) and Harmanpreet Kaur (35) joined hands for a 90-run fourth wicket stand, but it was not enough as India fell short.

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Rodrigues was in fine touch, hitting seven boundaries and brought up her fifty with a six off the final ball of the 19th over.

Kaur, meanwhile, struggled throughout the innings before being stumped off Nonkululeko Mlaba with the final ball of the innings.