World No 1 T20I batter Shafali Verma blasted 60 runs off 30 balls after left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad took her career-best figures to power India to a nine-wicket win over South Africa in the third and final match in Lucknow on Tuesday.
The Proteas have clinched the three-match T20I series 2-1 but this dominant won helped India end the campaign – their first international assignment in over a year – on a high.
Gayakwad picked up three wickets for just nine runs to help India restrict South Africa to 112/7 and then Verma and captain Smriti Mandhana shared a 96-run stand for the opening wicket to canter to an easy win with nine overs to spare.
Verma hit seven fours and five sixes during his blistering knock while Mandhana had nine boundaries in her unbeaten knock of 48 (28 balls).
Chasing 113 for victory, the 17-year old went on a rampage from the word go by picking up 18 runs (3 fours and a six) off the first over bowled by Shabnim Ismail. She kept attacking the opposition bowlers and smashed three more sixes in the next three overs, including two off Nadine de Klerk’s second over.
The South Africa bowlers came in for severe punishment from her as she produced a wide array of shots during her audacious hitting show. Nondumiso Shangase ended the young Indian opener’s knock by having her caught by Ismail in the deep in the ninth over. But by then, the match was as good as over.
Mandhana, who was almost a spectator when Verma was on crease, showed her class by producing the final flourish, taking India to 114/ 1 in 11 overs.
Earlier, Gayakwad (3/9) was the star performer as she bowled with great control and guile to flummox the South African batters while fellow spinners Radha Yadav (1/24) and Deepti Sharma (1/22) chipped in with impressive displays.
Skipper Sune Luus was the top-scorer for South Africa with 28 while Lara Goodall finished with 25 not out from 17 balls after they were asked to bat. Sinalo Jafta (16) and Goodall, one of the stars of the ODI series win, took 16 runs in the 17th over bowled by medium-pacer Simran Bahadur to help the visiting side get past the 100-run mark.
Gayakwad did most of the damage to the South Africans by removing Anneke Bosch (0) with the third ball of her first over. Then, she had the big wicket of Lizelle Lee, who was castled while attempting a whip on the leg-side from a quicker delivery.
She returned to bowl in the 15th over and added the wicket of Nadine de Klerk (9), bowling her with an arm ball as South Africa slipped to 63/5.
Luus tried her best to resurrect the South Africa innings before falling to Deepti Sharma (1/22). She struck three powerful boundaries but her attempted pull off a delivery that kept low proved her undoing.
With PTI Inputs
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!