Chennai: Commanding fifties by Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp was well complemented by a fine effort by the bowlers as South Africa registered their first win in the ongoing tour with a 12-run victory over India in the opening women's T20I here on Friday.
Sent in to bat, South Africa produced a terrific effort with the bat, posting a solid total of 189 for four, with Brits (81 off 56 balls) and Kapp (57 off 33 balls) anchoring the innings. In reply, India managed 177 for four in their stipulated 20 overs.
Indian openers began on a strong note with opening pair of Shafali Verma (18 off 14 balls) and Smriti Mandhana (46 off 30 balls) putting on a 32-ball 56-run stand before the former perished in the sixth over to Ayabonga Khaka.
Dayalan Hemalatha (14 off 17 balls) then joined Mandhana in the middle and the duo constructed a 31-run partnership. But the tourists did manage to keep the pressure on, picking up a A wicket either side of drinks.
First Mandhana departed off Chloe Tryon in the 10th over, quickly followed by Hemalatha, who was cleaned up by Nadine de Klerk in the following over, as the score read 87 for three.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (35 not out) and Jemimah Rodrigues (53 not out) then joined hands and took the attacking route with the required run-rate rising. The two brought up their 50-run stand in 38 deliveries, bringing down the equation to 47 off 18 balls.
Jemimah continued her onslaught and brought up her 11th T20I half-century in 29 deliveries as 21 was needed off the last six balls. But it was not to be as Nonkululeko Mlaba held her nerve to concede only eight runs in the final over.
While South Africa had four different wicket-takers, de Klerk's economy played a vital role in the triumph.
There were some injury concerns as well as Richa Ghosh was replaced by S Sajana as the concussion substitute after the former fell face first on the ground, attempting to take a catch. Also, Brits was stretchered out of the ground with severe cramps.
Earlier, Brits and Kapp helped South Africa post their highest total in T20Is against India. Brits, whose innings came off 56 balls with 10 fours and three sixes, and skipper Laura Wolvaardt (33) were off to a watchful start, managing 50 in 43 balls.
But, the Indians failed to latch on to a few chances with Wolvaardt and Kapp being dropped in the 4th and 10th over, while Brits too was later dropped in the 16th over.
The lack of bounce on the pitch allowed Kapp and Brits to implement the sweep shots efficiently. Pooja and Radha grabbed two wickets each for India, whereas the former was also decently economical.
