.jpg?output-quality=70&output-format=webp&downsize=125:* "South Africa Beat India By 72 Runs In Opening Test, Lead Series 1-0")
The Indian women's team has displayed a top-class performance against South Africa in the on-going T20 International series and in the recently-concluded One-Day International (ODI) series, which they won 2-1. With an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match T20 series, the Indians would go for the home run when they take on the hosts for the final T20 game at Cape Town and aim to achieve a double series win. India had completely outclassed their opponents in the first two games by registering a convincing seven and nine-wicket wins respectively. However, South Africa bounced back to win the third match by five wickets to keep the series alive.
The visitors would have tried to seal the series in the fourth T20 match but rain washed out the game with South Africa, batting first, at 130/3 in 15.3 overs. A victory for the Indian women would give them the bragging rights of being the first side to have won two series on a single tour of South Africa. This win would be a great boost for the young team given the fact that they recently won the T20 series in Australia too. All eyes will be on veteran Mithali Raj, who has been exceptional in the series so far. She scored two consecutive half-centuries (54, 76) in the first two matches but failed to open her account in the third.
Live Updates Between India women vs South Africa 5th T20I, straight from Cape Town
18:40 IST: OUT! Rumeli Dhar gets her second, Lizelle Lee departs for 3. South Africa 20/3 in 5.4 overs.
18:36 IST: OUT! Shikha Pandey castles Sune Luus for 5. India are on top now.
5th T20I: Luus bowled by Pandey off the last ball of the 5th over.
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
SA - 18/2 (Lee 2*) after 5 overs vs Ind - 166/4 #SAvIND
18:30 IST: OUT! Rumeli Dhar gets the first wicket, captain Dane van Niekerk departs for 10. South Africa women 12/1 in 3.4 overs.
WICKET. Dane van Niekerk is the first SA wicket to fall, caught by Pandey off Dhar for 10. SA wmn 12/1 (3.4 ovs), need 155 to win. #SAvIND
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
18:22 IST: India have bowled brilliantly in the first two overs. South Africa 3/0 in 2 overs.
18:20 IST: India women start with a maiden over. South Africa women require 167 runs to win.
18:05 IST: India 166/4 (Mithali 62, Rodrigues 44) vs South Africa women at Cape Town.
A run out off the last ball of the innings. IND wmn end on 166/4 (20 ovs), Kaur 27*, Raj 62, Rodrigues 44. . #ProteasWomen #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/XHsjP35n9S
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
18:00 IST: SIX! Harmanpreet starts the last over with a huge maximum straight down the ground.
17:55 IST: Two overs to go, India 142/3. Harmranpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy are out in the middle.
17:50 IST: OUT! Rodrigues trying to deposit the low full toss in the stands, miscues and Khaka takes a good catch. India 134/3 in 16.5 overs.
Jemimah Rodrigues (44) @ 17 years 172 days missed becoming the second youngest to register a 50 in a women T20I match!
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 24, 2018
Youngest: 17 yrs 16 days by West Indian Stafanie Taylor during her 90 vs Ireland at Dublin in 2008#SAvInd
#5thT20Imatch
17:45 IST: OUT! Trying to run the ball down the third-man, Mithali edges the ball back to the keeper. Ismail breaks the 98-run partnership. India 130/2 in 15.5 overs.
BREAKTHROUGH! Ismail gets the wicket of Raj (62). IND wmn 130/2 (15.5 ovs). #ProteasWomen #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/NZ5LSiPaC6
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
17:40 IST: FIFTY! Mithali Raj scores her 13th T20I fifty. India women 109/1 in 14.5 overs.
5th T20I: @M_Raj03 brings up her fifty as she continues to shape the Indian innings #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/ZHWDksjWkm
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
17:36 IST: Score update:
IND wmn 103/1 after 14 overs. Raj 45, Rodrigues 34*, partnership 71*. #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/Hxe5K811Je
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
17:31 IST: SIX! Jemimah dances down the tracks and clobbers Ntozakhe for a huge maximum.
17:27 IST: 50-run partnership comes up between Mithali Raj and Jemimah Rodrigues in the 12th over
17:23 IST: India women 71/1 after 10 over vs South Africa women
5th T20I: Ind - 71/1 (Mithali Raj 34*, Rodrigues 13*) after 10 overs #SAvIND
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
17:13 IST: India 46/1 in 7 seven overs vs South Africa. Mithali Raj and Jemimah Rodrigues are out in the middle.
17:00 IST: OUT! Smriti Mandhana goes for the big shot, miscues and Klass takes a blinder. India 32/1 in 4.2 overs.
WICKET! What a catch by Masabata Klaas to give @kappie777 her first wicket of the match! Mandhana goes for 13. IND wmn 32/1 (4.2 ovs). #ProteasWomen #AlwaysRising pic.twitter.com/ideBXQqxlF
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
16:45 IST: India 4/0 after the first over.
16:43 IST: Four! Kapp strays on the leg side and the ball brushes Mithali's pads and runs away for a boundary.
16:42 IST: The game starts. Mithali Raj and Smriti Mandhana are opening for India. Marizanne Kapp is opening the bowling for South Africa.
16:35 IST: Good news, the covers are coming off and we hope to have a full game.
16:24 IST: South Africa women playing XI:
SA XI: D van Niekerk (c), Lee, Luus, M du Preez, de Lerk, Tryon, Kapp, Ismail, Klaas, Khaka, Ntozakhe
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
16:20 IST: India women playing XI:
Ind XI: Harmanpreet (C), Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Krishnamurthy, Gayakwad, Shikha Pandey, Rodrigues, Dhar, Vastrakar, Bhatia (W), Poonam Yadav
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
16:07 IST: And the rain is here, covers are on.
5th T20I: Rain delays start of play in Cape Town #SAvIND
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
Covers on at Newlands as a shower comes down. It must be a cricket day... #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/o0KfwOfuLt
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
16:05 IST: South Africa women win the toss and have elected to field vs India at Cape Town.
SA won the toss and elected to field as the rain falls in Cape Town. #ProteasWomen #AlwaysRising #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/RHqKyZIrxc
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) February 24, 2018
16:00 IST: Hello and welcome to the live blog of the women's 5th T20I match straight from Cape Town.
Apart from Mithali, opener, Smriti Mandhana has also provided her team with a solid start with the scores of 28, 57, 37 in the first three matches. While captain Harmanpreet Kaur hasn't been impressive with the bat so far in the tour except for her 48 off 30 balls in the third T20, she will have to display her A-game if the top batting-order fails to score any runs.
