Ayabonga Khaka took 5-25 before the Proteas Women suffered a 28-run defeat in their final Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match against India in Dubai on Tuesday.
Khaka’s outstanding figures helped limit India to 144-7, but Asha Sobhana’s 2-21 ultimately secured India’s victory, with the Proteas restricted to 116-6.
South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl first. Fast bowler Khaka made an immediate impact, taking two wickets in her first two overs, dismissing Shafali Verma (nought) and Harmanpreet Kaur (10). At the end of the powerplay, India were 29-2.
India then added 40 runs in the third-wicket stand between Smriti Mandhana (21) and Jemimah Rodrigues (30) before Nonkululeko Mlaba (1-37) broke the partnership with the crucial wicket of Mandhana.
Shortly after the drinks break, all-rounder Annerie Dercksen (1-13) struck, as Tazmin Brits took a difficult catch in the deep to dismiss the in-form Rodrigues.
With India’s top order back in the pavilion, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (36) and spinning all-rounder Deepti Sharma (35*) put together a vital 70-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
This took India to 137-4 before Khaka struck three times in the final over to complete her five-wicket haul.
The experienced seamer removed Ghosh, Pooja Vastrakar (two) and Shreyanka Patil (nought) in the space of four deliveries.
In the Proteas’ chase, openers Tasmin Brits (22) and Laura Wolvaardt (29) scored 31 runs in the first six overs, before Brits was caught in the deep off the bowling of Sobhana in the seventh over.
Needing 108 more runs for victory, Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch (three) added another 18 before India, through Sharma, Patil and Sobhana, claimed three quick wickets – Wolvaardt, Bosch and Suné Luus (three) – to reduce the Proteas to 66-4 after 12 overs.
South Africa’s chase faltered further when Nadine de Klerk (four) was removed by Harmanpreet Kaur (1-2).
Despite a valiant effort from Chloé Tryon (24) and an unbeaten knock from Annerie Dercksen (21*), the Proteas fell well short.
South Africa will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the West Indies on Friday.
Photo: @T20WorldCup/X
