IND vs SA Highlights, U19 Women’s T20 World Cup: India beats South Africa by seven wickets; Sehrawat slams 92 not out

January 16: vs UAE - 1:30 PM IST - Benoni

January 18: vs Scotland - 5:15 PM IST - Benoni (B)

After thrashing host South Africa today, India looks set to top Group D, considering it plays UAE and Scotland next. However, the opening day of the World Cup has reminded us not to take any team for granted. Australia learnt it the hard way as it was stunned by Bangladesh by seven wickets earlier in the day. Sri Lanka has beaten USA by seven wickets too. That makes it three teams (BAN, IND, SL) that have won by seven wickets on the opening day while UAE beat Scotland by six. That will be all from us for today. Join us on Monday for India’s second game, against UAE, which begins at 1:30 PM IST. Good night and take care!

A comprehensive win for India to kickstart its campaign! Shweta Sehrawat was at her fluent best as she made light work of the South African attack with an unbeaten 92 off 57 balls, which included a whopping 20 fours. The vice-captain was aided by captain Shafali Verma, who slammed a 16-ball 45, in the PowerPlay, which yielded 70 runs. Despite losing Shafali in the eighth over, Sehrawat ensured the chase didn’t lose steam and consistently found the boundary as India sailed home with 21 balls to spare.

Smit comes. Starts off with a wide down leg side. Two runs to win for India. OUT! Tiwari steps out and picks the long-on fielder to perfection. Finally something to cheer about for South Africa. Sonia Mehdiya comes in. Driven through mid-off, misfield, and a single. Scores level in 16.2 overs. FOUR! Cut away by Sehrawat through covers and India romps to a comprehensive win.

Now Reyneke bowls out. Dot to start with as Tiwari pushes this to mid-on. Driven to long-on for a single. Sehrawat gets low, scoops this between short fine and backward square leg for a couple more. FOUR! Swept from wide outside off again and Sehrawat continues finding the boundary as she gets four at square-leg. Full-toss on leg and Sehrawat helps the ball on its way to the boundary behind the keeper. Sehrawat moves to 88, a pity she won’t be able to bring up a well-deserved century!

Hlubi will bowl out. FOUR! Back of a length outside off and a cracking shot over point by Sehrawat for a boundary. She gets on top of the bounce and slaps it with a horizontol bat. Wide outside off and Hlubi will need to reload that one. Wide outside off and Sehrawat swings and misses. Hlubi comes around the wicket. She errs in line, slides it down leg and Sehrawat scoops it to the fine-leg fence. 150 up for India in 14.4 overs. Wide ball outside off next up. India 151/2 in 14.4 overs, crusing towards the 167-run target. A couple of singles to finish the over.

Landsman continues. Tossed up again and Sehrawat steps out and shovels this down the ground for a boundary. FOUR! Flatter outside off, Sehrawat waits for it before sending it crashing through the covers off the backfoot. This is closer to off-stump, Sehrawat shapes to cut but then lets it go. Single to end the over and Sehrawat keeps strike.

Hlubi comes back for her third. She comes around the wicket to Tiwari. Dug into the pitch on middle and Tiwari defends. Low full toss and Tiwari drives along the ground and straight to mid-off. Angling away outside off and Tiwari slashes hard and misses. Full on the toes and Tiwari digs it out to the mid-on fielder. Four dots in a row. Short, angling across outside off, and Tiwari slashes this over extra cover for a couple. FOUR! Full toss on the pads and clipped by Tiwari to the midwicket boundary.

Landsman comes into the attack. Tiwari steps out and drives down the ground for a single. Slower one, Sehrawat waits for it and slaps it through covers for a boundary. The vice-captain now goes for the sweep but misses. A breather for South Africans. Another dot to end the over.

Naidu comes back into the attack after going for 17 in her first two overs. OUT! Naidu strikes first ball of her second spell. Trisha is stumped. India two down. Full toss and Tiwai is off the mark with a single. Sehrawat steps out to delivery spinning away outside off and carves it over point for a quick two. FOUR! Perfectly placed by Sehrawat behind point off the backfoot and another boundary for the vice-captain. FOUR! Full toss and put away by Sehrawat at fine-leg for a boundary. 37-ball fifty for Sehrawat! FOUR! Hat-trick of boundaries for Sehrawat as Naidu sends down another full-toss on leg-side and Sehrawat needs no invitation to put that away behind square.

Smit with the ball. Trisha starts off with a couple. FOUR! Smit errs on leg-side and punished by Trisha with a sweep to the square-leg rope. Hundred runs up for India in just 9.2 overs. FOUR! Trisha steps out now and lofts this over extra-cover for a boundary. Runs coming thick and fast for India here, just 61 needed off 61 balls.

FOUR! Reyneke bowls her third. Width outside off and slapped by Sehrawat just over mid-off for four. FOUR! Swept from wide outside off by Sehrawat, catch dropped at deep midwicket, and goes four four more. FOUR! Cheeky shot from Sehrawat now. Gets down on one knee and paddle sweeps that to fine-leg boundary. This time she is beaten outside off as the ball turns away a bit and beats her outside edge. A couple more for Sehrawat at deep third to end the over.

Off-spinner Smit into the attack. OUT! Shafali is gone! Runs with the bat and now Smit also has the big fish, the Indian skipper! Trisha comes in at No. 3. Slower one outside off and Trisha fends it. Beaten this time outside off. FOUR! Pushed down leg-side and Trisha capitalises but rocking back and pulling it to the fine-leg boundary.

Reyneke continues. FOUR! Wide outside off, Sehrawat frees her arms and gets four at deep third. Driven beautifully for a just a single as deep cover cuts it off. Huge appeal as Shafali misses this tossed up delivery but umpire rules it not out. Spinning away and wide called outside off. Swept by Shafali from outside off for a single at long-on. She moves to 45 off 15 balls. Sehrawat goes back and tries to pierce the field behind point but finds the fielder. Tossed up wide outside off and this is not called a wide, much to Reyneke’s relief.

Medium-pacer Nini into the attack. FOUR! Short outside off and Shafali slashes hard at this and beats deep third for four runs. FOUR! Slapped hard between cover and point and back-to-back fours for Shafali. Fifty up for India in 5.2 overs. FOUR! Three fours in a row for Shafali. She hammers this down the ground. FOUR! Cut away behind point and Shafali now gets four fours in four balls. FOUR! Short and pulled to the wide long-on fence for four more. Five boundaries in a row. SIX! Hammered down the ground and six more to end the over. Absolute carnage here from the Indian skipper! SHAFALI VERMA GOES 4 4 4 4 4 6 !

Spinner Reyneke replaces pacer Hlubi. FOUR! Full outside off and Sehrawat slaps this down the ground, beats the mid-on fielder, and gets four more. Long-on now comes into position. Tossed up outside off and Sehrawat drives through covers for four more. Exquisite timing and placement from the vice-captain. Driven well again but straight to the extra-cover fielder. Another dot ball to finish as Sehrawat guides it to point with open bat face.

Naidu continues. Starts off with one that spins away wide outside off but not called a wide by the umpire. FOUR! Sehrawat wasn’t happy with that call and decided to go after this tossed up delivery. She shovels it over the bowler for a four down the ground. FOUR! Width outside off and Sehrawat slaps this over covers for another boundary. Pitched up again and Sehrawat cross bats this for a single at deep midwicket. Naidu comes around the wicket to Shafali. FOUR! Full-toss and Shafali sweeps this to the square-leg boundary.

Hlubi comes from around the wicket. Shafali runs it down the third with open bat face for a single. Short of a length, Sehrawat gets on top of the bounce but only flat-bats it to point. Yorker length now and driven to extra cover for another dot. Full outside off and Sehrawat misses this as she tries to dig it out. Bouncer, Sehrawat misses the pull and called wide for height. In the slot, driven away by Sehrawat to mid-off and quick single. Hlubi comes back over the wicket. FOUR! In the slot again and Shafali stands and delivers, sending it away to the long-off boundary.

Leg-spinner Naidu into the attack. Sehrawat on strike. Punche down the ground off the backfoot and cut off by the mid-on fielder. This is turning away outside off and the ball is just inside the tramline. Three dots in a row now and Sehrawat misses trying to cut a ball that is too full for that shot. Sehrawat advances but only manages to get it to cover fielder. FOUR! Boudary after five dots. Short ball and Sehrawat hits it past the bowler with a horizontal flat-bat shot. Dot to end the over and four runs from it.

Pacer Hlubi with the ball. Sliding down leg side and Sehrawat works it away for single. Beaten! Shafali is beaten outside off first ball trying to cut the ball. FOUR! Short ball, Shafali guides this over the keeper for a boundary. FOUR! Clipped off her pads and four runs for Shafali at midwicket. Consecutive fours for the India skipper. Short of a length outside off and this is called wide. Good start for India so far. 11 runs in five balls. Hlubi now comes around the wicket. Sehrawat guides the ball to point, misfield and single to end the first over.

Sonam to bowl the final over. FOUR! Smit sweeps in front of the wicket and gets four at square-leg. FOUR! Full and Smit drives this aerially over mid-off for another boundary. This is going across the right-hander and Smit misses the sweep. Precious dot for India. Just a single over mid-on next ball for Smit as Mehdiya slows it down. Another well-timed sweep from Meso but just a single. FOUR! Smit steps down the ground and gets four at long-on.

Shafali bowls out now. Meso gets a top edge trying to go for a cheeky shot on leg-side and the ball falls behind Richa for a couple of runs. Short, Smit rocks back and pulls it for a single to deep midwicket. FOUR! Last ball of the over and Meso manages to sweep this almost yorker length delivery to the boundary behind. Shafali ends with two for 31 from four overs.

FOUR! Chopra bowls out. Tossed up on middle and Meso sweeps this to the midwicket fence as she strikes the ball cleanly. Tossed up again, much slower, and Meso can only step out and play it back to the bowler. OUT! Landsman is trapped in front and Chopra gets her first. Landsman was once again eyeing the boundary behind her and went low to sweep, but missed the ball on this occasion. Meso misses the sweep off the last ball of the over and Chopra ends with one for 15 from four overs. Top spell from the leg-spinner!

Shafali comes back to slow things down a bit. OUT! Lourens is run out and goes for 61 off 44 balls. Meso comes in. FOUR! Short and going down leg and Meso this time goes down one her knee and sweeps/scoops this to the fine-leg boundary. FOUR! Shafali errs on the shorter side again and Landsman pulls this to the square-leg fence.

Sonam Yadav is back for her third over. She beats Lourens with a slower one that turns away a bit outside off. Another dot ball as Sonam gives the ball a bit of air and finds some purchase off the wicket. Just three singles off the first five balls. SIX! Landsman continues to find runs behind the wicket. She goes outside off-stump, gets inside the line of the ball and pulls it over the fine-leg boundary for half a dozen.

Soumya Tiwari into the attack! FOUR! This is spinning down leg and Landsman gets low and sweeps this to the fine-leg boundary. FOUR! She goes down on one knee again and almost scoops this along the ground to the fine-leg fence. A bit of momentum coming back into the South African innings. Tossed up on middle, Landsman rides her luck as she gets an inside egde off a slog sweep and finds four more behind the keeper. FOUR! Exquisite timing and placement from Landsman. Turning away outside off and she opens the face of the bat and runs it down to the third man boundary.

Mehdiya back into the attack. Right-arm off-spin over the wicket. She darts it wide outside off and extra run for South Africa. FOUR! Lourens finally ends the boundary-drought as she gets an outside edge that beats the keeper and the short-third fielder, who gives it a chase. Driven by Landsman and excellent diving effort from Shafali at extra-cover to keep it to a single. 100 up for South Africa in 14 overs.

Shafali bowls her second over. OUT! Short ball, Reyneke goes for the pull and finds the deep square-leg fielder. Vice-captain Landsman comes in next. Squirted by Landsman to short third for a single off her first ball. Two singles to end the over.

Chopra bowls her third over now. A couple of singles to start off. Chopra continues to toss it up and keeps the batters quiet. Reyneke moves into double digits with a couple off an inside edge. She then sweeps but finds the backward square-leg fielder. A bit of a mix-up as Lourens wants a single but Reyneke sends her back. Lourens puts in a dive to just about make it to her crease.

Archana Devi to resume proceedings after Drinks. Lourens takes a single first ball. Reyneke goes back and nurdles it on leg for one more. Tossed up, Lourens drives and gets an outside edge that goes to short third. Single for Lourens and that’s her fifty off 33 balls. Lourens, at age 15, becomes the first South African half-centurion in the history of the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Chopra continues. Just a single off the first three balls. Chopra is tossing it up and the batters are refraining from taking her on. Tossed up again, Lourens drives for a single at long-off and we’re halfway through the innings. Lourens key here with 48 off 30 balls.

Mendhiya darts in and bowls another economical bowler, going for just three runs and India staging a commendable comeback here.

Parshavi Chopra into the attack for some leg-spin now. She bowls with great control and is quick through the air. Just a couple of singles and India wresting back some control of this contest.

Soniya Mehdiya with the ball. Another left-arm spinner. Turns it away and Lourens almost finds the fielder at cover. FOUR! Another boundary for Lourens and another misfield by the Indian fielders in the deep. Meanwhile, Reyneke on 0 off six balls. She finally gets off the mark with a single, pulling a short one to deep midwicket.

Archana Devi to bowl her second. Starts off with two dot balls and Lourens then hits one down the ground but only manages a single. Wide down leg-side to follow. One of the quieter overs so far for India and they will be happy. Reyneke drives this straight to cover. Excellent over, just two runs from it. India fights back late in the PowerPlay but South Africa still in command.

Shafali Verma to bowl. FOUR! Lourens doesn’t relent. She half pulls this short one to the midwicket boundary as the deep midwicket fielder lets the ball through her legs. OUT! The captain strikes and removes her counterpart Siyo for a golden duck. Shafali gets the ball to skid through the South Africa skipper and clip the top of off-stump. Reyneke the next batter.

Left-arm spinner Sonam Yadav with the ball. SIX! Dropped by the fielder down the ground and she parries the ball over the rope and that’s six runs for Rensburg. FOUR! Boundary next ball as Rensburg punches off the backfoot and once again bisects the off-side field with precision. OUT! Rensburg goes for the sweep but gets a top edge and taken by wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh.

Archana Devi, off-spinner, into the attack. SIX! She is greeted with a maximum. Tossed up, Rensburg slog sweeps this over wide long-on for half a dozen. Archana pulls her length ball now and Rensburg pushes it to the mid-off fielder for a dot. FOUR! Pitched too short and Rensburg goes on the backfoot and pierces the ball through the five fielder on the off-side inside the ring. Rensburg goes for another big hit, down the ground, but doesn’t time it well and gets only a single at long-off. A misfield at mid-on and Lourens steals a single.

Left-arm spinner Soumya Tiwari for the second over. She beats Rensburg’s outside edge first ball by turning it away. Rensburg goes for the big hit next ball but only manages to top edge it and gets away with a single after launching the ball over mid-off. FOUR! Lourens continues her carnage. Goes on the backfoot and drives this, slightly in the air, through extra-cover. FOUR! Another one, driven through covers and four more. FOUR! Hat-trick of fours for Lourens and this is punched down the ground for a boundary. She moves to 30 off nine balls. Tossed up on the stumps and Lourens guides this to the point fielder for a dot ball, finally.

Shabnam Shakil has the new ball for India. First ball is dug into the pitch and von Rensburg works it to square-leg for a single. Length ball outside off and driven straight to mid-off for a dot ball. FOUR! Another length ball, just outside off, and Lourens hammers it to the midwicket boundary. SIX! Another similar delivery and Lourens picks it up and clears deep midwicket this time for a maximum. The deep midwicket fielder had been stationed after a four on the previous ball but the ball just went over the fielder. FOUR! Lourens on fire here! Length again, straighter, and this is hacked away to the square-leg fence. FOUR! This is straying down-leg and Lourens puts it away to the fine-leg boundary. To add to India’s misery, it’s a no-ball for over-stepping. Dot ball on the free-hit. South Africa off to a rollicking start.

It’s the same surface as the one used for the Australia vs Bangladesh game earlier in the day. Appears to be a good wicket to bat on and team batting first should aim for 160. Australia’s 130 wasn’t good enough as Bangladesh shot it down with two overs to spare.

Elandri Rensburg, Simone Lourens, Oluhle Siyo (c), Kayla Reyneke, Madison Landsman, Karabo Meso (wk), Miane Smit, Jenna Evans, Seshnie Naidu, Ayanda Hlubi, Nthabiseng Nini.

Shweta Sehrawat, Shafali Verma (c), Gongadi Trisha, Soumya Tiwari, Richa Ghosh (wk), Soniya Mendhiya, Hrishita Basu, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Shabnam MD, Sonam Yadav.

South Africa wins the toss and elects to bat first.

“Practising with Jemi is fun. She is full of energy on and off the field and training with her has actually helped. I started training under Ivan sir (Jemimah’s father) and slowly fell in love with the sport,” Hurley tells Shayan.

We are minutes away from the toss. In the two completed matches so far in the tournament, the team chasing has won.

Titas was into swimming and did not dream of taking up cricket seriously. “But things changed suddenly. I remember there was a time when the swimming pool was closed for a few days and around that time, dad told me to visit the ground and play a bit of cricket. It was raining that evening, and I enjoyed those moments at the crease and there was no looking back,” Titas tells Shayan Acharya.

Mannat believes “it is easier to claim a five-for on the field than preparing for a political science examination…”, writes Shayan Acharya.

India vs South Africa - 5:15 PM IST

Sri Lanka vs USA - 5:15 PM IST

Bangladesh beat Australia by seven wickets

UAE beat Scotland by six wickets

In a huge upset on the opening day of the World Cup, Bangladesh has beaten Australia by seven wickets. Earlier, UAE beat Scotland by six wickets.

India beat Australia by 18 runs in its first warm-up fixture. It only managed to score 97 for eight in 20 overs after electing to bat but restricted Australia to 79 for seven, with captain Shafali Verma picking 3/8.

However, India narrowly lost to Bangladesh by three runs in its following warm-up as it failed to chase 122 runs, despite Shafali’s unbeaten 43 and No. 3 batter G. Trisha’s 44.

India: Shafali Verma (c), Shweta Sehrawat (vc), Richa Ghosh (wk), G Trisha, Soumya Tiwari, Sonia Mehdiya, Hurley Gala, Hrishita Basu (wk), Sonam Yadav, Mannat Kashyap, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Titas Sadhu, Falak Naz, Shabnam. Standby players: Shikha, Najla CMC, Yashashree.

South Africa: Elandri Janse Van Rensburg, Simone Lourens, Anica Swart, Karabo Meso, Madison Landsman (vc), Oluhle Siyo (c), Kayla Reyneke, Jenna Evans, Miane Smit, Ayanda Hlubi, Seshnie Naidu, Refilwe Moncho, Monalisa Legodi, Nthabiseng Nini, Jemma Botha. Non-Travelling Reserves: Caitlin Wyngaard, Diara Ramlakan.

The India vs South Africa U19 Women’s T20 World Cup match will NOT be telecast LIVE in India. The match will be streamed LIVE on the FanCode app.