Match Center

Right then, that's all from an entertaining series opener where South Africa Women came out on top to take the lead in this three-match series. After a day's rest, the two teams will be back on the field, where South Africa Women will be looking to seal the series, whereas India Women will aim to force a series decider. The 2nd T20I will take place on Sunday, 7th July, with the first ball to be bowled at 7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT). As always, our build-up will begin much sooner. See you then. Cheers!

Tazmin Brits is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for her brilliant knock of 81 runs from 56 balls. She starts by saying that the conditions were tough and can't really explain what it was like. Shares that despite scoring the runs, she is not happy with herself. Feels that she was letting the team down through her struggles early on. Tells that she was experiencing cramps in her right leg but hopes to be fine for the next game. Says that she did not have a great time in the ODIs and sat out in the Test but she is happy to get the win.

The skipper of South Africa Women, Laura Wolvaardt says that it's much nicer to talk after the win. Adds that it’s special, coming after three tough weeks. Shares that they fought well in the Test and finally got the win in the first T20I. Mentions that they wanted to chase in this game but batting first turned out well as the bowlers stepped up. Ends by sharing that they came out with positive intent and it was an exciting game.

The captain of India Women, Harmanpreet Kaur says that they did not play good cricket overall. and also dropped too many chances. Feels that they played too many dot balls in the middle phase. Lauds the way South Africa Women bowled. Reckons that the way her team started with the bat, they needed to keep going but could not because of the dot balls. Tells that with the ball, they need to be more aware of what the batter is trying to do and bowl according to the field.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Marizanne Kapp is up for a chat. She says that it took a bit longer than they would have liked but she is happy with the win. Mentions that spending time in the middle worked well for her. Further shares that they have been speaking to be positive in the camp but when they are in the middle, they tend to be conservative. Shares that she is close to bowling again and slowly working her way towards it. Lauds Tazmin Brits for her brilliant innings and adds that she struggled initially but the others took the mantle and that they could finish well.

Earlier in the game, after being inserted into bat, South Africa Women were off to a steady start. Laura Wolvaardt took the mantle and made the Powerplay count for the visitors. While Tazmin Brits was slow to get into the groove, Marizanne Kapp had no such problems and hit a couple of early boundaries to get going. With Brits eventually finding her feet, the duo dominated the middle phase and did not allow the Indian bowlers to settle. Both batters notched up their respective fifties and put on a 96-run stand. Kapp fell on 56 but Brits carried on her merry way to set her side up for a strong finish. However, South Africa Women could only manage 12 runs off the last two overs, resulting in them finishing with 189. For India, Pooja Vastrakar was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2 for 23 from her 4 overs.

As for India Women, they started brilliantly in the Powerplay but could maintain that tempo in the middle phase and could never really get out of that rut. They were also not up to the mark in the field and had they taken those chances, the result would have been different for the hosts. In pursuit of 190 runs, India got off the blocks quickly. Smriti Mandhana did not miss out on punishing the loose deliveries on offer as did Shafali Verma. Shafali could not kick on and her departure combined with Mandhana not getting much of the strike, resulted in the run rate dropping. With Dayalan Hemalatha struggling to find the fence, Mandhana sensed the need to up the ante and perished in doing so. Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur were left playing catchup and took the chase deep with the former being the more fluent of the two batters. Only three times in the last 8 overs did India manage to score more than 10 in an over and it proved to be a mountain too steep to climb.

South Africa Women get over the line for the first time on this tour of India! The visitors held their nerves on the night to draw the first blood in this three-match T20I series. Having left a few runs out there with the bat, South Africa Women were on the hunt for early wickets. It did not go according to the plan for them as they were all over the place with their lines and lengths. Soon they picked themselves up and the ease in field restrictions allowed them to put the squeeze on. A double strike through Nonkululeko Mlaba and Nadine de Klerk allowed them to put India on the back foot and post that, it was just about using the conditions to their advantage. They did just that as they kept bowling into the surface and never really allowed India to hit the top gear. With 20 runs to defend in the final over, Nonkululeko Mlaba was hit for a boundary on the first ball but fought back and sealed the deal for her side.

OUT! STUMPED! South Africa Women get their first win on the tour! Mlaba bowls it full and it spins away, just outside off. Harmanpreet Kaur shimmies down to go big on the off side but misses. Sinalo Jafta fumbles on the first attempt but takes off the bails in the second. South Africa Women win by 12 runs and are off to a winning start in the three-match T20I series.

OUT! STUMPED! South Africa Women get their first win on the tour! Mlaba bowls it full and it spins away, just outside off. Harmanpreet Kaur shimmies down to go big on the off side but misses. Sinalo Jafta fumbles on the first attempt but takes off the bails in the second. South Africa Women win by 12 runs and are off to a winning start in the three-match T20I series.

Flat and quick outside off. Harmanpreet Kaur charges down and slaps it straight to extra cover. Barring any extras, this should be South Africa Women's game.

Full on the middle and leg. Jemimah Rodrigues slogs it to the deep square leg region for a single. 13 needed off 2 balls.

Make that 14 needed off 3 balls! Mlaba fires it full and outside off. Kaur skips down and squeezes into the off-side for a single.

Edged but safe! Floated, around off, and spins away. Kaur shimmies down to hack it again but gets an outside edge that rolls through the short third region for a couple. 15 required off 4 for India Women.

FOUR! Just the start that India Women needed! Tosses it on the middle and leg. Kaur gets to the pitch of the ball and pumps it down the ground for a cracking boundary. 17 needed off 5 now.

Laura Wolvaardt has a decision to make here for the final over. Will it be the pace of Eliz-Mari Marx or does Wolvaardt go with the spin of Nonkululeko Mlaba? It will be Mlaba to bowl the final over. India Women require 21 off the last over.