India faltered in their chase of 166 as South Africa, powered by Laura Wolvaardt's half-century, secured a 10-run victory in the fifth and final T20I, winning the series 4-1 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday.
Wolvaardt Leads South Africa to Strong Total
Opting to bat first, South Africa posted 165 for 4 in their 20 overs. Captain Laura Wolvaardt anchored the innings with a well-compiled 53 off 42 balls, hitting seven boundaries. She was well supported by Tazmin Brits, who scored 37 off 33, and Marizanne Kapp, who chipped in with a quickfire 27 off 18. For India, Pooja Vastrakar was the pick of the bowlers, taking 2 for 28, while Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil claimed one wicket each.
India's Chase Stutters
In reply, India got off to a shaky start, losing opener Shafali Verma early for 9. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues then added 42 runs for the second wicket, but Rodrigues fell for 22. Mandhana fought on, scoring a gritty 45 off 37 balls, but lacked support from the middle order. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur managed only 12, and Richa Ghosh made 13. With the required rate climbing, India fell short at 155 for 6 in their 20 overs. Nonkululeko Mlaba was the standout bowler for South Africa, taking 2 for 26, while Nadine de Klerk and Ayabonga Khaka picked up a wicket each.
Series Summary
South Africa dominated the series, winning the first T20I by 12 runs, the second by 6 wickets, and the third by 5 wickets. India bounced back in the fourth T20I, winning by 6 wickets, but could not sustain the momentum. The series win gives South Africa valuable momentum ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Despite the series loss, India had some positives, including the performances of Mandhana and Vastrakar. However, the team will need to address their batting collapses and consistency in the middle order before the World Cup.
