Lucknow: Indian ladies dished out an excellent batting effort however their bowling colleagues did not step up as South Africa ladies registered a series-clinching six-wicket win in a final ball thriller in the second T20 International in Lucknow on Sunday. Shafali Verma (47) blasted six fours and two sixes in her 31-ball innings and cast a 79-run stand with Harleen Deol (31) to set the muse whereas Richa Ghosh supplied the late cost with a 26-ball 44 not out to assist India put up a aggressive 158 for 4 after being put in to bat.
Chasing the goal, Lizelle Lee smashed a 45-ball 70 studded with 11 fours and a six, whereas Laura Wolvaardt slammed an unbeaten 39-ball 53 as South Africa romped house in the final ball. Defending the entire, left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad removed Anne Bosch (2) early however Lee starred in two essential partnerships, including 58 with skipper Sune Luus (20) after which 50 with Laura to maintain them in the hunt. Once Luus was run out by Deepti Sharma (0/31) and Lee was caught and bowled by Radha Yadav (1/25), Laura took the onus on herself to take the staff house.
Defending 19 off 12 balls, Harleen dismissed du Preez (10) in the primary ball however she conceded two fours, leaving Arundhati Reddy 9 to defend in the final over. Needing six off final two balls, Reddy bowled a no ball which modified the complexion of the sport as Laura took the staff house in the final ball.
Earlier, opener Shafali set the platform whereas Ghosh supplied the completion as India Women posted a aggressive 158 for 4. Invited to bat, skipper Smriti Mandhana (7) as soon as once more fell early as she chased an outdoor supply from Ismail solely to edge it to the keeper in the second over. Shafali, who seemed watchful initially, smashed three fours in the fourth over to place the bowlers beneath stress.
New batter Harleen Doel, who scored a fifty in the primary T20I, despatched Khaka throughout the backward level for her first boundary as India scored 31 for one in the primary 5 overs. Shafali then welcomed Nadine de Klerk with a straight hit throughout the fence earlier than unleashing an enormous heave for a six as India ended the powerplay at 41 for one.
Shafali bought a life when she was dropped by Anne Bosch in the seventh over. Harleen then took Anne to the cleaners with back-to-back boundaries. In the tenth over, each Shafali and Harleen scored a boundary every as Nadine de Klerk condeded 14 runs.
The India opener then despatched N Mlaba for a six with a slog sweep however the bowler got here again to wash her up in the final ball with Shafali in search of one other slog in the leg-side. Harleen too departed after she was caught by Ismail off Anne in the subsequent over. Ghosh smashed three fours, whereas Jemimah Rodrigues (16) hit one as India amassed 18 runs off the 14th over bowled by Sune Luus. After Rodrigues departed, Ghosh slammed 4 extra boundaries to take India to a aggressive rating. For South Africa, Shabnim Ismail (1/31), Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/27), Nadine de Klerk (1/28) and Anne Bosch (1/26) had been among the many wickets.
