India women look to continue dominance over SA in 2nd T20

Agency
EAST LONDON: A perfect start achieved, the Indian women’s cricket team would look to continue its supremacy over South Africa when the two sides clash in the second Twenty20 International, here tomorrow.
After a 2-1 win in the ODI series, the Indian women started the T20 series on a confident note, drubbing the hosts by seven wickets here in the first game on Monday.
And the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side would look to carry on the momentum in the remainder of the five-match series. The way the Indians came out all guns blazing in the first T20, it seemed the loss in the inconsequential third ODI prior to the series was just a rare bad day in office and their confidence hardly took a beating.
Opting to bowl, the Indian women first restricted South Africa to 164 for four and then overhauled the target with consummate ease in 18.5 overs. While chasing, opener Mithali Raj (54 not out) held the Indian innings together and shared two crucial stands — a 69-run partnership for the third wicket with debutant Jemimah Rodrigues (37) and a 52-run fourth-wicket stand with Veda Krishnamurthy (37 not out) — to steer her side home.
Mithali’s knock, her 11th T20 International half century, came off 48 deliveries with the help of half a dozen fours and one six and the Indian team management would hope for an encore from the experienced batswoman.
The 17-year-old Mumbai player, Rodrigues, also batted impressively on her debut, hitting four boundaries and a six during her breezy 27-ball knock, while Krishnamurthy was at her attacking best.
Opener Smriti Mandhana made 28 but she would be hoping for a big knock tomorrow. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur too would be hoping to score big after a first-ball duck in the last match, owing to a run out. The Indian batting looks in good form but the visitors’ bowling is a cause of concern in the absence of veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami, who has been ruled out of the series because of a heel injury.
Young fast bowler Pooja Vastrakar (1/34) certainly looked nervous on her debut and her pace colleague Shikha Pandey’s (1/41) performance was a big let-down.
Teams (from):
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Anuja Patil, Taniya Bhatia, Nuzhat Parveen Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav.
South Africa: Dane van Niekerk (captain), Marizanne Kapp, Trisha Chetty, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Odine Kirsten, Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Moseline Daniels.
Match starts: 4:30 PM (IST).