India registered a second consecutive win in the warm-up matches ahead of the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as they beat South Africa by 28 runs on Tuesday.
Ayabonga Khaka starred for South Africa with the ball as she picked up a five-wicket haul to restrict India to 144/7 in 20 overs after Laura Wolvaardt opted to field first.
The seam bowler dismissed Shafali Verma for a duck, also removing the dangerous Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh, who top-scored with 36 from 25 balls.
Ghosh was one of three wickets to fall in the final over as Khaka denied India the chance to capitalise in the death overs, with only Deepti Sharma only able to hang on, scoring an unbeaten 35.
However, South Africa were cautious in their reply, reaching the halfway stage having made just 56, with Wolvaardt departing the eleventh over for 29.
Sharma conceded just two runs from her two overs and bowled a maiden before Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen provided some late hope with 24 and 21 not out respectively but could not stop India from winning by 28 runs.
Kaur, who seems to be India’s choice for the number three spot in the batting order, faltered for a second time in as many matches. Opener Verma, too, remains short of runs leaving the middle order to do most of the heavy lifting so far.
India will open their 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on Friday and would hope that their two star batters find their rhythm soon.
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