India beat South Africa by 28 runs in warm-up match

The Indian cricket team secured a convincing win over South Africa by 28 runs in its final warm-up match ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 at the ICC Academy in Dubai, UAE on Tuesday.

Sent in to bat first after South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss, world No. 3 India posted a competitive 144/7 in their 20 overs. Richa Ghosh was the top scorer with a brisk 36 off 25 balls while Ayabonga Khaka starred with the ball for South Africa with an impressive 5/25.

In reply, world No. 5 South Africa could manage 116/6 in their 20 overs. Laura Wolvaardt top-scored for the 2023 finalists with a 26-ball 29 while spinners, led by Asha Sobhana (2/21) and Deepti Sharma (1/2), stood out for India.

The Indian women’s cricket team suffered an early setback with Shafali Verma bowled for a two-ball duck. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur (10 off 11) followed soon after, caught at cover in the fourth over. Opener Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues steadied the innings, taking India past 50 in the eighth over.

The partnership was broken in the ninth over when Smriti (21 off 22) was caught at deep mid-wicket off Nonkululeko Mlaba’s bowling. Jemimah (30 off 26) fell in the 11th over in a similar fashion, dismissed by Annerie Dercksen.

At 69/4 in 11 overs, India needed a recovery and Richa Ghosh along with Deepti Sharma pulled off the rescue act. The pair helped India score 77 runs off the last nine overs.

Richa hit India’s first six of the innings over deep square leg in the 14th over. She then lifted another maximum over long-on, bringing up India’s 100 in the 16th over.

The duo combined to produce 16 runs in the 19th over - the biggest of the innings. While Richa was dismissed in the 20th over after a handy knock of 36 off 25 balls, Deepti remained unbeaten with a valuable 35 off 29 and helped India finish on a strong note.

India’s defence of 144/7 began with a maiden from Renuka Singh. However, South African captain Laura Wolvaardt and her fellow opener Tazmin Brits kept wickets intact in the powerplay, scoring 31/0 in the six overs.

South Africa's approach of preserving wickets fell apart as soon as the Indian spinners got into the attack.

Tazmin Brits (22 off 25) was the first South African casualty in the seventh over bowled by Asha Sobhana. Deepti Sharma applied further breaks with the wicket of Anneke Bosch (3 off 8) in the 10th over.

Laura Wolvaardt (29 off 26) was bowled by Shreyanka Patil (1/21) in the 11th over, leaving South Africa reeling at 56/3.

Chloe Tryon (24 off 20) and Annerie Dercksen (21 off 16) offered some resistance but with wickets tumbling at the other end, South Africa fell short by 28 runs.

Harmanpreet Kaur (1/2) and Shafali Verma (1/13) also rolled their arms in the death overs and were among the wicket-takers.

This was India’s second and final warm-up match before the group stage of the Women’s T20 World Cup begins on Thursday. India had beaten West Indies in their first warm-up match on Sunday. The Indian women’s cricket team will kick off the World Cup campaign against New Zealand in Group A on Friday.

IND-W vs SA-W Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up brief scores: India 144/7 in 20 overs (Richa Ghosh 36; Ayabonga Khaka 5/25) beat South Africa 116/6 in 20 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 29; Asha Sobhana 2/21) by 28 runs.

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