Match Details

vs

Last Wicket: Laura Wolvaardt c (sub)Anushka Sharma b Shreyanka Patil 115(53) - 183/1 in 15.2 ov.

CRR: 11.7

Three games, three successful run chases. While India have lost a combined 21 wickets in the series, South Africa have lost just seven - a stat that neatly captures the gulf between the two sides. With the T20 World Cup just 50 days away, India will be keen to regroup and bounce back by winning the remaining two games. However, South Africa look like a team on a mission, and dislodging them won’t be easy. It will be interesting to see how things unfold when the teams meet again at the same venue for the fourth T20I on Saturday. Until then, cheers and goodbye from the team of Raju Peethala, Nikhil Jadhav and Harish V.

Laura Wolvaardt | Player of the Match - South African skipper: Chasing 192, we knew we needed a really strong start, so I went out with a lot of intent and tried to back my strengths on what felt like a nice, flat surface in the second innings (on approach during the chase). I realized pretty early that it was a good wicket with the ball coming on nicely, so the focus was to maximize the powerplay and get ahead of the rate, which we managed with around 70 runs (on reading the pitch and powerplay strategy). Once we got through that phase, the idea was to keep going, stay with the rate, and try to finish the game as early as possible, and I’m just happy I could contribute (on pacing the innings). Sune also batted really well, and our chats in the middle were about staying calm despite being in slightly new territory after such a strong powerplay, reminding each other that we still had plenty of power left in the dugout and could keep playing our shots (on partnership and communication). It paid off nicely today, and I think that partnership worked because we kept things simple and backed ourselves (on the record stand). Overall, we’re in a really good space as a team; I thought we bowled well too, and it’s great to see us improving every game, including the players who came in and performed strongly (on team performance). Chasing has worked well for us so far, especially with favorable tosses, but it will be interesting to see how we go when we have to bat first, as this series is all about preparing for the World Cup and covering every scenario (on team progress and future challenges). Winning three in a row and securing the series against a side like India is really special, and while there could be a few changes in the remaining games with the World Cup in mind, we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved so far (on series win and outlook).

Harmanpreet Kaur | India skipper: We were really looking at the score and that wasn't that bad. We would have put a really decent total on the board, but I think we should give credit to the South Africa batters the way they batted, and I think they didn't give us a single chance to come back in the game, even though a few chances we missed out, but I still feel that the way they were batting, I know we didn't have any second answer for them. And when we looked at the bowling, I think it didn't go as well as we had hoped it would. I think we were definitely looking a few wickets in the powerplay. I think that will always set the momentum for the game. But unfortunately, as I mentioned, for six overs, they were quite expensive. I think the bowling really really needed to take, I know batting didn't work in the first two games, but bowling in the same way, we are not upto the mark. I think as a bowling group, we really need to work hard if we have to keep doing well in the future, but I think it's a lot of learning for us and definitely we will learn and try to get better in the next games. Always good to get a few runs for the team (talking about her knock today) and really contribute when it was needed the most. And I think when you win, you feel okay, you feel happy, but I know I didn't help the team to win the game today, but as a batter, I'm quite happy that we have a strategy and hopefully I can do that. I think we have to stick to our plans (for the next 2 games). We have to keep doing the work, keep making sure to win the matches and hopefully, we will come up with a better plan in the next game.

21:26 local, 19:26 GMT, 00:56 IST: That was one heck of a dominant batting display from South Africa. It is their highest successful chase in the format and the third-highest overall in women’s T20Is. The chase started in fifth gear, and the opening duo never took their foot off the accelerator. Wolvaardt was dropped by Smriti on 31 in the fourth over, and the South African skipper made India pay for it. She belted 14 fours and 5 sixes, registering her highest score in T20I cricket while at it. It was also worth noting that Wolvaardt was dropped again by Harmanpreet on 85. Although it wouldn’t have made much difference to the end result, what was disappointing from an Indian point of view was that their bowlers looked completely clueless and simply rushed through the overs. There was a clear lack of intensity, and the sloppy fielding only aggravated matters. Stick around for the post-match reactions...

Deepti Sharma to Luus, SIX, dances down the wicket and mows the full ball into the mid-wicket orbit. South Africa win by 9 wickets and claim the series with 2 games to go.

Deepti Sharma to Tazmin Brits, 1 run, slower and fuller on the stumps, clipped away to the right of mid-wicket

Deepti Sharma to Luus, 1 run, short on the stumps, flat-batted to the left of long-on

End of Over 0: N/A runs, N/A wkts

Shreyanka Patil to Luus, 1 run, quicker on the stumps, nudged away to the right of deep backward square leg

Shreyanka Patil to Tazmin Brits, 1 run, shimmies out of her crease and whips the full delivery to deep mid-wicket

Shreyanka Patil to Tazmin Brits, no run, floated up outside off, Brits drives off the front foot to mid-off

Shreyanka Patil to Tazmin Brits, no run, tossed up on middle and leg, pushed back to the bowler

Shreyanka Patil to Wolvaardt, out Caught by (sub)Anushka Sharma!! Laura Wolvaardt walks off to a standing ovation. The South African skipper deserves every bit of it. A blind slog from the crease and the top-edge has been caught by the fielder at deep mid-wicket. Wolvaardt c (sub)Anushka Sharma b Shreyanka Patil 115(53) [4s-14 6s-5]

Shreyanka Patil to Wolvaardt, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Shreyanka Patil to Wolvaardt, FOUR, comes dancing down the wicket and thwacks the full delivery straight down the ground. A couple of bounces and into the fence....

End of Over 0: N/A runs, N/A wkts

Kashvee Gautam to Luus, 2 runs, full and wide of off, Luus lofts it over Harmanpreet at mid-off and adds another double

Kashvee Gautam to Luus, FOUR, Luus gets under the full delivery and smacks it past the fielder at mid-off to her right

Kashvee Gautam to Luus, no run, pitched up outside off, Luus toe-ends the drive to the right of cover