OBAKENG MELETSE
The second T20 International between South Africa and India was called off due to persistent rain at the MA Chidambaram Stadium yesterday. The result means the Proteas’ 1-0 lead is unassailable, and they are the only side that can win the series with one match left to play.
South Africa lost the toss and for the second match in a row, India asked the Proteas Women to bat first. They posted a solid 177-6 in 20 overs.
Tazmin Brits (52 off 39 balls) scored her second consecutive half-century, but survived an early scare in her innings. Having faced only six balls she was beaten all ends up and given out stumped by Uma Chetry off the bowling of debutant Sajeevan Sajana on five.
An error by the Indian wicketkeeper in completing her stumping saw the decision being reversed.
What would have been a wicket ball was called a no-ball, and South Africa gained huge momentum with the next seven balls costing 21 runs as both Brits and captain Laura Wolvaardt feasted on the gaps in the field with a flurry of boundaries.
Wolvaardt (22 off 12 balls) looked dangerous in her short stay at the crease, Pooja Vastraklar (2-37) offered width outside the off-stump and Wolvaardt latched on to a cut shot but hit it straight into the hands of Radha Yadav at point.
South Africa ended the powerplay on 66-1 with Marizanne Kapp (20 off 14 balls) having come to the wicket at the fall of her captain’s wicket. India dried up the runs between the seventh and eighth overs, restricting the Proteas to only nine runs.
A shimmy down the pitch was the downfall of Kapp as she tried to make up the rate and miscued a Depti Sharma delivery towards mid-off and Sajana completed a good running catch.
Brits continued on her merry way and combined for a 38-run partnership with Anneke Bosch, but for the second time in the match, the 33-year-old was stumped by Chetry off the bowling of Sharma for her second wicket of the match and this time Brits was on her way.
Bosch (40 off 32) kept the innings together and marshalled the tail as India fought their way back into the contest. South Africa scored 34 runs off the final two overs to reach a competitive 177-6 but with persistent rain coming back at the halfway point, the match was called off without India coming out to bat.