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India Women vs South Africa Women Match 18 Full Commentary
Result · Jun 21 2026, Sun - 07:00 PM (IST)
SA-W 161/4 (19.1)
IND-W 158/7 (20.0)
South Africa Women beat India Women by 6 wickets
CRR:8.40
প্লেয়ার অফ দ্য ম্যাচ
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Welcome back for South Africa's reply with the bat. Harmanpreet Kaur has her troops in a huddle before they take the field. With no Sune Luus in this game, Laura Wolvaardt walks out to open with Tazmin Brits. India are starting with spin in the form of Shafali Verma. Wolvaardt is on strike. A slip in place. Here we go...
... THE RUN CHASE ...
Will 158 be enough? It was the pace bowlers who did most of the damage for South Africa, with the trusted pairing of Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail picking up two wickets each. Given the way the ball pinged off the bat early on, it initially looked like a very good batting wicket, but the slower balls have proved particularly effective. The Indian spinners will be keen to exploit these conditions. South Africa scraped their way past the finish line against Pakistan and will know they need to be far more convincing against this Indian bowling attack. It should be an interesting chase. Stick around.
An innings that never quite took off - After opting to bat first, India started promisingly through their opening pair, but South Africa fought back strongly to remove both openers and wrest back the initiative. The middle phase turned into a tug of war as both sides battled for control. South Africa carried the momentum from the back end of the Powerplay and continued to make inroads. At 83/4, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma came together and got a partnership going. However, true to the theme of the innings, neither batter was able to kick on and provide the finishing flourish India were after. Richa Ghosh, too, could not do much either.
India end up with 158 - The Women in Blue never quite managed to hit top gear, as every time they looked to build some momentum, South Africa hit back with a timely wicket. The finish, too, was not what India would have desired. It is a competitive total, but whether it will be enough, only time will tell.
Kapp finishes things off with a dot, and India Women finish with 158/7 on the board. Kapp nails the yorker on leg and gets it to just tail back in a bit. Arundhati Reddy gives herself a bit of room again and swings across the line but the ball sneaks under the willow. 6 runs and a wicket off the last over.
Good, positive running. A low full toss, slanted into the legs. Arundhati Reddy backs away and slogs it wide of long on and races back for the second run.
An appeal for a run out, but Rawat seems to be safe. Kapp goes fuller now, Rawat drills it to mid off and sets off for the single. The fielder picks up the ball and throws it to Kapp, who whips off the bails, but replays show that Rawat was home safely. A direct hit would have done the job, though.
Good shot to get off the mark in international cricket from Prema Rawat. Hard length around middle, swung away aerially and towards cow corner for a couple of runs.
Prema Rawat walks out to bat on debut.
OUT! CAUGHT! Excellent execution from Marizanne Kapp and that's a fine catch too. Kapp takes pace off and floats it a bit fuller around the middle stump. Richa Ghosh has to wait for it and tries to hoick it leg side, but ends up getting a top edge. The ball lobs up towards short fine leg, where Ayabonga Khaka scampers in and dives to take a solid catch. Kapp gets the big fish with 4 balls still to play.
Full-pitched delivery around off, Reddy advances and drives it on the full, towards deep cover for a single.
Marizanne Kapp to close out the innings. 3-0-21-1 so far for Kapp. Can South Africa keep India under 160?
Back of a length, slower too and wide outside off. Richa Ghosh fails to reach it and wants a wide call, but the ball is just inside the tramline. 14 off the over, a good one for India.
FIVE WIDES! Oh, that's a gift from Ayabonga Khaka. Full and trying to dart it in at the pads, but spills it well down the leg side for five extra runs. 150 up for India Women.
FOUR! Gets it away this time, does Ghosh. Straighter in line, Ghosh walks inside the line and manages to flick it well wide of the short fine leg fielder for a boundary.
Top effort in the deep. Full and on the pads, Richa comes forward, converts it into a full toss and flicks it to the right of deep mid-wicket. Chloe Tryon sprints across and dives in to save a couple of runs.
Reddy backs away and Khaka follows her with another full ball. Reddy heaves it across to deep mid-wicket and turns the strike over.
Yorker-length again, on off, Richa Ghosh can't get under the ball and just shovels it down to long off for one more.
Fuller one in the blockhole, Arundhati Reddy leans ahead and pushes it through mid on for a single.
Ayabonga Khaka (3-0-17-1) to bowl the 19th over.
Flat and full again, on off, Ghosh drills it straight to mid off. Just 5 off the over, a wicket to go with it as well for Mlaba.
Full on middle and leg, punched down to long on for a single.
First signs of a bit of turn. Tossed up, full and around off, Arundhati Reddy looks to go down and sweep but misses.
First wicket to spin in this game. Arundhati Reddy makes her way out to bat.
OUT! CAUGHT! Well taken by Marizanne Kapp and South Africa Women get another wicket at the right time. Cleverly bowled by Nonkululeko Mlaba, slowing it right up and this is flighted wide of the off stump. Deepti Sharma looks for the scoop again but lunges well to the off side and falls over as she plays the shot. The ball gets lobbed to the left of short fine leg, where Kapp slides across and pouches it safely.
Floated up on leg, Deepti steps out and lifts it down to the right of long on for a couple of runs.
WIDE! Fired in way down the leg side, good take from the keeper. Not what you want when you are behind the over rate.
Quick and short, darted into the pads, Ghosh hoicks it across to deep square leg for a single.
FOUR! Down the wrong line, and De Klerk ends the over just as she started it, with a boundary. Full and down the leg side, Sharma gets inside the line and plays the lap sweep past short fine leg for four runs. 11 off the over.
Moving forward - What a great way to end the week, with a huge clash between two class sides, and it is South Africa Women who pick up their second win of the campaign and get level on points with India Women, who have a superior net run rate. The ICC Women's T20 World Cup takes a break for a day before returning with a triple header on Tuesday, June 23. We will kick things off with a clash between New Zealand Women and Scotland Women in Bristol, starting at 9.30 am GMT (3 pm IST). You can join us sooner as well for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!
Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa Women - Laura says that they were stressed out on the bench, and this was one of the best knocks she has seen. She adds that Marizanne Kapp is a big match player, and they are fortunate to have her in the team. Mentions that Kapp brings her best when the team needs it the most. Wolvaardt reckons that they had to get ahead in the game for the chase from the start, but they didn't, and she is thankful that Kapp got them over the line.
Harmanpreet Kaur of India Women - Harmanpreet says they had a couple of chances in the field but were unable to convert them, and at this level, those opportunities often make the difference. Adds that Sree Charani and Shafali Verma bowled really well and created chances throughout the innings. Harmanpreet stresses that the team still has a couple of games left in the tournament, and the focus is on staying positive and looking ahead. With two or three days before the next match, she says the side will sit down, assess what went wrong and prepare accordingly. Kaur credits Marizanne Kapp for taking the game away from them with a brilliant innings. On the conditions, Harmanpreet feels there was a bit of assistance for the finger spinners. Reflecting on her journey of 200 T20Is, Harmanpreet says it has been a rollercoaster ride filled with both highs and lows, and there have been plenty of learnings.
Let's now hear from the two captains...
Let's recap the first innings - After winning the toss, Harmanpreet Kaur had no hesitation in batting first in what was her 200th T20I game. India got off the blocks quickly, even after losing a couple of wickets in the first 6 overs. The experienced pairing of Kaur and Deepti Sharma took India to a good position, but the South African bowlers conjured up a fine comeback. Marizanne Kapp bowled a stellar final over to hand her team some much-needed momentum into the break.
India lost steam towards the end - Things started just as they would have hoped for and India kept things tight in the first 6 overs, picking up a couple of wickets as well. However, things then started to go downhill as the Indians failed to create wicket-taking chances and allowed a huge stand to flourish. A few fielding lapses didn't help either, especially at the death. Deepti Sharma, who has been India's death over hero so often, went for two sixes in the 19th over, and it was game over then and there.
Player of the Match - Who else, but Marizanne Kapp, to get the accolade for her figures of 2 for 27 in 4 overs, and an unbeaten 81 off 45 balls. Kapp thanks Jesus and says that India is always a difficult opponent, and she is happy with this win. She adds that she struggled at the start, but once she got her timings right, she played well. Reckons that it was a difficult wicket to bat on, but they grew in confidence as the innings progressed. She further says that their bowling department was excellent as well, and ends by saying that the crowd was excellent as well.
One of the all-time greats - Marizanne Kapp is recognized as one of the greatest all-rounders in the women's game and she has just shown us why. South Africa Women were in early trouble and she was sent up the order to stabilize things a bit. She went on to build a game-changing stand with Tazmin Brits, but once Tazmin got out, Kapp just took matters into her hands and sealed the win, remaining unbeaten on 81.
One of the games of the tournament - What a game, and what a way to avenge that ODI World Cup Final defeat. Marizanne Kapp comes up clutch as South Africa Women seal a memorable win and keep things absolutely on the brink in Group A. India Women taste their first defeat of the tournament, and they might have to beat the Aussies to assure a place in the semis.
FOUR! Edged away! That's it. South Africa win by 6 wickets with 5 balls to spare. Skidding through, on a back of a length, outside off. Tryon throws her hands at the ball. It goes past short third off an outside edge and down to the fence. Hugs and smiles all around in the Proteas camp as they pick up vital two points and hand India their first defeat of the tournament. According to the on-air commentators, this is the third-highest successful run chase in Women's T20 World Cup history.
Just 2 needed for the win now. South Africa Women can see the finish line. Nandni Sharma to bowl the final over.
SIX! Marizanne Kapp lands a telling blow. That should do it for South Africa. Sharma tries to fire one in, very full, on middle and leg. Kapp clears the front leg and manages to get under the ball. She clobbers it over deep mid-wicket, where, despite a leap, Jemimah Rodrigues stands no chance. Kapp is pumped as she lets out a big roar.
Very full, on leg. Tryon steps out and pushes it to the right of mid off for a single.
This is fuller and quicker, on middle and leg. Kapp clears the front leg and clubs it to deep mid-wicket. Just a single.
SIX! Clears the fence! That brings the equation down to almost a run-a-ball. 10 needed off 9. Flighted delivery, on middle. Kapp gets down on a knee and plays the slog sweep. Jemimah Rodrigues sprints to her right at deep mid-wicket and leaps with an outstretched right hand but the ball evades her.
On the stumps, a tad shorter, Chloe Tryon slogs it through mid-wicket for one more.
Deepti Sharma floats it up, around the waist, Marizanne Kapp gets low and turns it through square leg for a single.
This one seems to be going down to the wire. 18 needed off 12 balls, and Deepti Sharma is back on to bowl the crucial 19th over.
FOUR! Easy pickings! A bit too short by Sree, on off. Chloe Tryon stands tall on top of the bounce and thumps it along the ground past cover-point for a boundary.
Chloe Tryon walks out to bat next.
OUT! CASTLED! Nadine De Klerk's cheeky attempt does not come off. Pushed through, on a good length, on the off stump. Nadine De Klerk walks across and attempts the fine sweep but misses and the ball crashes into the off pole. South Africa Women are 137/4, needing 22 runs from 13 balls.
FOUR! Good manipulation of the field. Darted in, full and on middle. Nadine De Klerk makes room for herself and carves it over the in-field on the off side. Plays it over cover-point and picks up a boundary.
Is Nadine De Klerk safe? A bit quicker now but stays full, on off. Nadine reaches out in front to go big on the off side but the ball spins past the outside edge. Richa Ghosh whips the bails off but the background check confirms that De Klerk had her back leg grounded inside the crease.
Keeps it wide on off, a bit fuller. Nadine De Klerk moves towards the off side for the sweep but fails to lay any bat on it. It clips her pads and races past short third for a couple of leg byes. Nadine De Klerk swings at it but the ball spins past the outside edge.
Tossed up, on off. Kapp knocks it to long off for a single.
Sree Charani is back on. She's picked up 2 for 15 so far in her 3 overs.
Shorter and on off, Nadine De Klerk chops it down on the off side. 29 needed off 18.
DROPPED! Marizanne Kapp has been put down again, and it is once again Radha Yadav, who is on the park as a substitute fielder. This was the easier of the two chances. This is at the stumps, on a length. Kapp swings through the line but checks her shot slightly. It carries all the way to long on, where Radha Yadav runs in off the ropes and tries to take the catch at waist height but it pops out. Single taken.
SIX! Clean strike! Pushed through by Shafali, a slot ball, around off. Kapp shuffles across and gets under the ball. With a clean swing of the arms, she slams it back over the bowler's head for a flat six.
Slower and on a length, a bit of turn, on middle. Nadine De Klerk lunges for the block. It goes off an inside edge behind square leg for a run.