Tazmin Brits’ career-best score and Marizanne Kapp’s half-century helped the Proteas Women secure a 12-run victory against India in the first T20I in Chennai on Friday.
Brits, named Player of the Match, struck 81 off 56 balls (10 fours, three sixes) and Kapp 57 off 33 (eight fours, one six), helping South Africa post 189-4.
India’s Jemimah Rodrigues then scored 53* off 30 balls (seven fours, one six) as the hosts were restricted to 177-4, allowing the visitors to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
After being asked to bat in hot and humid conditions at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Proteas openers Brits and Laura Wolvaardt set about their task in aggressive fashion.
Wolvaardt led the charge with a 22-ball 33 (three fours, two sixes), combining well with Brits to propel South Africa to 44-0 at the end of the powerplay before the duo marked their half-century stand.
The breakthrough for India came through Radha Yadav (2-40), who clean-bowled Wolvaardt. This brought the experienced Kapp to the crease, and she quickly found her rhythm.
The pair brought up their 50-run stand, taking South Africa into triple figures, before Brits celebrated her 10th T20I fifty. She was soon followed by Kapp, who raced to her fifth half-century in the shortest format.
With the score at 145-1 after 16 overs, Yadav picked up another important wicket as Kapp sliced the ball to a fielder at short third, ending an impressive 96-run stand for the second wicket.
However, this did little to slow down the Proteas batters. Brits found another able partner in Chloé Tryon (12), adding 38 runs for the third wicket before both batters were dismissed in the final over by Pooja Vastrakar (2-23).
In reply, the hosts started strongly, with Shafali Verma (18) and Smriti Mandhana (46) exploding to a 50-run partnership within the opening six overs before Ayabonga Khaka (1-39) picked up the first wicket, with Verma caught behind by wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta.
Following a rapid start by the Indian batters, disciplined bowling and fielding helped keep the host nation at bay. Two wickets in two balls, either side of the drinks break, from Tryon (1-32) and Nadine de Klerk (1-30) removed Mandhana and Dayalan Hemalatha (14), leaving India at 87-3 in the 11th over.
Needing 103 runs for victory, India’s new batters Harmanpreet Kaur (35) and Rodrigues assembled a valiant 90-run stand, led by Rodrigues’ stroke play, taking the home team to the final over needing 21 runs to win.
Despite Rodrigues hitting the first ball of the over for four, leg-spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (1-32) held her nerve, conceding only four more runs and claiming the scalp of Kaur with the last ball of the match.
The second T20I between the sides will take place on Sunday (15:30 SA time).
