BENONI: India suffered yet another batting meltdown in a modest 156-run chase as South Africa rode on skipper Laura Wolvaardt’s sublime unbeaten 92 to clinch a convincing 23-run win and seal the T20I series 4-1.
Wolvaardt, who notched up two fifties and a century earlier in the series, struck 11 fours and two sixes in her 56-ball knock, carrying her bat despite wickets falling around her.
Her late flourish—two sixes off the final two balls—lifted South Africa past the 150-mark after a middle-overs slowdown.
In reply, India was restricted to 132 for eight, with its experienced batters once again failing to deliver.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur laboured to 22 off 28 balls, while Shafali Verma (4), Jemimah Rodrigues (1) and Deepti Sharma (8) fell cheaply.
It was left to Bharti Fulmali to provide some fight with a counter-attacking 40 off 30 balls (4x4, 2x6), but India’s middle-overs stagnation, following a poor start, proved costly.
South Africa’s bowlers were disciplined throughout, with Nonkululeko Mlaba leading the charge with an impressive 2/15, including a maiden, and accounting for Harmanpreet. Nadine de Klerk also picked up two wickets.
It was a reality check for the WODI champion India ahead of the T20 World Cup as frequent changes in the XI and lack of consistency continued to hurt its campaign. Agencies
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