Kapp powers South Africa to six-wicket win over India in Women’s T20 World Cup

Marizanne Kapp made the most of a couple of dropped catches to hit an unbeaten 81 and power South Africa’s crucial six-wicket win over India in their Group A contest of the Women’s T20 World Cup here on Sunday.

Kapp, who had earlier returned 2/27 with the ball, struck seven fours and four sixes to make her runs off just 45 balls. She was dropped twice by substitute fielder Radha Yadav, which proved catastrophic for India.

In reply to India’s laborious 158 for seven earlier in the innings, South Africa won with five balls to spare, making 161 for four in 19.1 overs.

Kapp put on 97 runs for the third wicket with Tazmin Brits (40 off 36 balls), which laid the foundation for an impressive win for the Proteas, which also took them to the third position in the points table behind second-placed India and table-toppers Australia.

Harmanpreet opened with Shafali Verma and kept changing the bowling frequently and the Indian challenge was met by some stoic response from the South African openers, who did not take early initiative of attacking.

It resulted in the Proteas reaching 25 for no loss after the fifth over, and a double-wicket maiden from Shree Charani (3/24) wrecked their start by the end of the powerplay.  Charani first timed her jump to perfection to grab a sharp catch over her head to remove the dangerous Laura Wolvaardt (20), and then cleaned up Annerie Dercksen (0) two balls later.

But South Africa fought their way back to controlling the game with the superb stand between Kapp and Brits, consuming only 63 balls to do so.

The pair ran extremely well between wickets and kept finding the odd boundary every over to keep their team in the hunt. But a slow start meant they had to be a tad more aggressive than they were.

The partnership between Brits and Kapp would not have swelled to the extent that it did if Radha Yadav had not spilled a regulation catch coming in from long-on, giving the latter a lifeline.

The association ended when Brits connected well but found Charani at deep backward square in the 17th over off Shafali, who would have got her second wicket in the same over had Radha not dropped another regulation chance.

Coming in from long-on, the hit from Kapp popped out of Radha's hands as India once again missed a crucial opportunity to get rid of the veteran South African.

Earlier, Deepti Sharma made a vital 29 while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur struck 24 as India, struggling on a two-paced wicket, cross 150.

India collapsed from 54 for no loss to 83 for four before the two senior players put on 33 runs for the fifth wicket to stabilise the innings, which was also marred by some ordinary shot selection.

Deepti struck three fours in her 21-ball 29 before failing to execute a sweep.

On her part, Harmanpreet (24 off 22 balls), who became the first cricketer across both men and women to feature in 200 T20Is, played one on at a crucial junction for India.

WEST INDIES ADVANCE: In Bristol, the West Indies set up a showdown of unbeaten sides with England after laboring past Sri Lanka by five wickets on Sunday.

Sri Lanka was bowled out for 98 and the West Indies overhauled it in the 17th over on a spilled catch at midwicket.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews won the toss, chose to bowl first on a spinners’ pitch, and removed the openers and Harshitha Samarawickrama in her first two overs. Matthews took 3-15 as six bowlers took wickets.

At the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka was 23-4.

Nilakshika Silva led Sri Lanka with 30, but when she was gone, they went six overs without a boundary and suffered two run outs and a stumping.

In the chase, Deandra Dottin should have been run out in the first over. Matthews ran herself out on 17 and Dottin exited on 12 in a powerplay of 36-2. The West Indies was reduced to 70-5 in the 12th over but Stafanie Taylor carried them home with 27 not out.

Sri Lanka compromised its cause by bowling wides, dropping catches, poor glovework and relays - the 23 extras were the second highest score on the West Indies board. The West Indies and England are three for three and meet on Wednesday at Lord’s.