India posted their highest ever total against South Africa but still suffered nine wickets at the hands of the home side. Captain Laura Wolvaardt led the way in the third Women’s T20 International against South Africa on Wednesday.
South Africa thus took an elusive 3-0 lead and secured a five-match series. The remaining two WT20Is in Johannesburg and Benoni are now meaningless.
INDW vs SAW: 3rd T20I MAIN
Batting, India reached 192 for 4 – their highest ever against South Africa – with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and spinner Shafali Verma making 66 and 64 respectively.
However, South Africa captain Wolvaardt smashed 115 off just 53 balls as her partner Sune Luus made 64 not out on 42 deliveries against a hapless Indian bowlers to easily chase down the target of 193 off 21 balls to take an elusive 3-0 lead in the five-match series. South Africa reached 193 for 1 in 16.3 overs.
This was the third-highest run total in women’s T20I history, after West Indies and England’s 212 and 198 respectively against Australia and India in 2023 and 2018 respectively.
Wolvaardt, who was in top form in the series with 51 and 54 in the first two matches, hit as many as 14 boundaries and five sixes as he toyed with the Indian bowlers.
Luus, who had 13 and 57 in the first two matches, hit six boundaries and two sixes.
The South African duo were on 183 runs together for the opening wicket before Wolvaardt got out in the 16th over.
Indian veteran Deepti Sharma failed with the ball yet again as she continued her quest for her first wicket of the series. She returned on Wednesday with figures of 0/46 in 3.3 overs.
Earlier, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and opening batsman Shafali Verma hit half-centuries as India put up a much better batting performance as they posted 192 for 4.
Shafali continued his impressive form as he hit his second half-century in a row while it was Harmanpreet’s first half-ton in the series. They made 47 and 12 in the first two matches, which India lost 0–2 in the five-match series.
Harmanpreet’s 66 came from 38 balls from which she hit seven boundaries and three sixes.
Shafali, who had scored 34 and 57 in the previous two matches of India’s five-match series, produced a solid batting display as her 64 came from 46 balls that included eight boundaries and two sixes.
She stitched 68 runs for the opening wicket (37 off 25 balls) with senior partner Smriti Mandhana and 73 runs with Harmanpreet for the third wicket. She missed a short ball from Nonkululeko Mlaba for Nadine de Klerk to catch in the 16th over.
Harmanpreet, who was living dangerously early, then took the lead and landed some lusty shots. She was run out on the final ball of India’s innings.
Richa Ghosh was not out on 18 off 10 balls.
Star opener Smriti Mandhana started but failed to score again. Mandhana was strong in Shafali’s company as the opening duo put on 51 for no loss at the end of the Powerplay.
But the complexion of the game changed in the ninth over through the bowling of Mlaba with Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues (0) getting out in two consecutive deliveries.
Mandhana failed to clear the boundary as she got to 37 off 25 balls. She and Shafali were on 68 runs together.
On the next ball, Jemimah Rodrigues missed her stroke and was caught for a duck as India suddenly slumped to 68 for 2.
Quick Score:
India: 192 for 4 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 64, Harmanpreet Kaur 66; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2/31).
South Africa: 193 for 1 in 16.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 115, Sune Luus 64 not out; Shreyanka Patil 1/30).
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
23 Apr 2026 01:47 IST
