IND-W vs SA-W, Third T20I: India Women seeks to brave resilient South Africa Women and weather to level series

Indian bowlers’ struggle to contain South Africa forced the team to make major changes to the XI ahead of the second T20I and they will be put to test during the make-or-break fixture.

South Africa Tazmin Brits play a shot during the India vs South Africa Women‘s T20 cricket match at MAC Stadium in Chennai. | Photo Credit: RAGU R/ The Hindu

Rain gods teased the 13,000-odd spectators in attendance aplenty with mild showers through the course of the second T20I between India and South Africa at the MAC Stadium here on Sunday. The game’s submission to the elements washed out the fixture.

This makes Tuesday’s fixture a make-or-break affair for the host which needs a win to tie the series. The Proteas, who lead the series 1-0, will look to end the multi-format tour, and their final international stint before the T20 World Cup, on a high.

India made major changes to its XI, with an eye on giving the bench some game time and potentially as a clear message to the regulars to get its act together on the field.

Over two high-scoring games, the Indian bowling lineup – the stronger of the two sides – has struggled to contain an often nervous South African batting pool. Nervy batters were allowed to find their feet and chokeholds on the runs in the middle phases couldn’t be sustained.

All-rounders like Sajeevan Sajana and Shreyanka Patil did not get to wield the bat with the chase aborted before it even began.

That also meant the Proteas did not have to worry about taking a gamble with Marizanne Kapp who has not bowled in an international fixture since April this year.

Tazmin Brits finding confidence after a shaky first game and Laura Wolvaardt’s fluency in the PowerPlay have given the visitor a shot in the arm. However, its biggest issue remains the sharpness of its bowling.

With Kapp sitting out, the pressure falls on Ayabonga Khaka. Masabata Klaas has sat out both T20Is which means Annerie Dercksen has had to step up to support her. Sune Luus missed yet another game as a precautionary measure and might be in the reckoning on Tuesday.

With scattered thunderstorms in the offing around match time, both teams will hope for some solid game time as the women’s international calendar gathers steam in the run-up to the World Cup in October.

SQUADS:

India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (C) Smriti Mandhana (vc), Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana, Deepti Sharma, Asha Sobhana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Shabnam Shakil, Pooja Vastrakar and Radha Yadav.

South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Mieke de Ridder (wk), Sinalo Jafta (wk), Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tumi Sekhukhune.

Match begins at 7pm