Battle won, war lost: South Africa end T20I series with a consolation win

What happened to South Africa’s batting? What’s with them and crumbling against spin?

These were familiar talks through the T20I series. And as miraculous as it can be, the visitors churned out a different high-quality performance to stun India as well as the packed house at the Lalbhai Contractor Stadium in Surat.

By virtue of half centuries from Lizelle Lee and captain Sune Luus, South Africa could get one over India and end the six-match T20I series with a 3-1 margin, winning by 105 runs on Friday (October 4).

The tourists began on the right note after choosing to bat. Lee and Luus, opening the innings, took a couple of overs to get their eye in. Thereon, it was all about them belting the Indian bowlers into submission.

The fourth over of the match bowled by Mansi Joshi opened the floodgates. Lee tore into the Indian pacer belting her for four fours, including a hat-trick of such hits. In the next two overs, two fours each were smashed, as South Africa finished the power play on a stupendous 57 without loss.

Poonam Yadav, the leg-spinner, who almost always has picked up wickets whenever summoned to bowl, couldn’t apply the brakes either. What compounded problems for the host was that the attack from South Africa came from both ends. While Lee was going great guns from one end, Luus also punished the bowlers from the other end.

Lee then brought up her 11^th T20I fifty off just 28 balls, with a glide past short third man. One over later, it was Luus’ turn to raise the bat to a thunderous applause as she brought up her third fifty in T20Is – first as the skipper – with a single to mid-off.

With South Africa sitting comfortably on 137 at the end of the 15^th over with both their openers in the middle, they were on course for a total around 200. It was the highest partnerships in T20Is in India and the best by any side against India.

But then, Poonam got the breakthrough for the hosts. Spotting Lee charge down, she slowed one down and also pulled the length back. Lee then looked to slog it but ended up top edging it only to be pouched safely by Shafali Verma at mid-wicket. She had 84 runs to her credit off just 47 balls as she walked back.

Another over later, dangerwoman Mignon du Preez was sent back by Arundhati Reddy for 13. Soon, Luus also walked back for 62 off 56, getting out stumped off Harmanpreet Kaur. It appeared that India had held the Proteas back after they ended up with 175 runs on the board.

It was an off day for the Indian bowlers, none more than Joshi, who now has the dubious distinction of having conceded the most runs in a T20I innings. She gave away 49 runs in her four overs.

However, the start of the run-chase for the hosts wasn’t what the doctor ordered. It is the garba season in Surat and the way Indian batters were walking back to the pavilion one after the other appeared to be one of those dances taking place without the music. Just that it wasn’t.

Verma endured another failure, getting dismissed by Shabnim Ismail, who then trapped Jemimah Rodrigues in front of the stumps on her next ball. Kaur, playing her 100^th T20I – the first Indian across gender to do so – didn’t have a memorable outing with the bat as she chopped on an Ayabonga Khaka delivery.

Smriti Mandhana’s poor form continued as she was the next to depart, trying to take on Nadine de Klerk. Yet again a South Africa bowler was on a hat-trick as Deepti Sharma holed out to deep mid-wicket. By the end of the first six overs, India were tottering at five for 13, which soon became six for 13 with Taniya Bhatia’s departure.

Veda Krishnamurthy and Reddy then kept the bowlers at bay for 49 runs. That was the best partnership for India in the game. But the former’s fall for 26 was the final nail in the coffin.

De Klerk’s three-wicket haul in the middle dented India’s chances while she received good support from the likes of Ismail, Anneke Bosch and Nondumiso Shangase, who picked up two wickets apiece.

Brief Scores: South Africa 175/3 in 20 overs (Lizelle Lee 84, Sune Luus 62; Harmanpreet Kaur 1/5, Arundhati Reddy 1/28) beat India 70 all out in 17.3 overs (Veda Krishnamurthy 26, Arundhati Reddy 22; Nadine de Klerk 3/18) by 105 runs. PoM: Lizelle Lee. PoS: Deepti Sharma.