Electing to bat first, India raced to 59\/2 in the powerplay, but the middle overs proved far trickier on a dry surface where the ball often held up, as they amassed 57\/3 in overs 7-15. Though India added 42 runs in the final five overs, South Africa\u2019s disciplined bowlers struck regularly to ensure no batter crossed fifty, including giving away only six extras.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This was only the second time after 2016 that India have crossed 150 in a T20 World Cup game without an individual half\u2011century, thus leaving the contest delicately poised. India\u2019s innings began with Shafali Verma crisply clipping Marizanne Kapp off her pads for four, before driving Shabnim Ismail through cover for another boundary. Smriti Mandhana joined in by driving Shabnim on the up, before pulling her to collect consecutive boundaries.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After flicking Marizanne Kapp wide of mid\u2011on for four, Smriti went for a very ambitious scoop, which became fatal as she missed the length completely and was left to see her stumps rattled.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Chloe Tryon got a punishing introduction as Shafali danced down to thrash her through cover, sweep powerfully, before launching a 74\u2011metre six over long\u2011off in a 17-run fourth over. But Shabnim\u2019s hostile bumper snared her glove while trying to leave it late \u2013 replays showed the 122.5 kmph bumper took a feather edge and Shafali was out for 31.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Yastika Bhatia played some fine boundaries, before being trapped plumb lbw off Ayabonga Khaka for 15. Jemimah Rodrigues couldn\u2019t last long \u2013 she closed her bat face too late and Nadine de Klerk produced a diving caught\u2011and\u2011bowled dismissal to remove her for 12.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Harmanpreet Kaur, playing in her landmark 200th T20I game, and Deepti Sharma tried to steady the innings through a 33-run stand, before Shabnim had the former chopping on to her stumps for 24. Though Deepti and Richa Ghosh hit three boundaries in seven balls, the tempo never truly lifted for India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Yastika Bhatia played some fine boundaries, before being trapped plumb lbw off Ayabonga Khaka for 15. Jemimah Rodrigues couldn\u2019t last long \u2013 she closed her bat face too late and Nadine de Klerk produced a diving caught\u2011and\u2011bowled dismissal to remove her for 12.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brief Scores: India 158\/7 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 31, Deepti Sharma 29; Marizanne Kapp 2-27, Shabnim Ismail 2-28) against South Africa<\/p>\r\n\r\n