IND-W vs SA-W: 1st T20I – Talking Points from the opening T20I encounter

After losing the five-match One Day series by 4-1 against the South Africa Women in Lucknow, the Indian women team had a torrid start in the three-match T20I series too as they lost the first T20 International by 8 wickets. Winning the toss, Sune Luus invited the hosts to bat first. Put to bat, India collapsed at just 130 runs for 6 in 20 overs. Harleen Deol emerged as the highest run-getter with 52 runs off 47 deliveries. Chasing 131 wasn’t difficult for South Africa Women as they completed the target within 19.1 overs while losing just 2 wickets. Here are the talking points from the first T20 International between India Women and South Africa Women

Shabnim Ismail’s economical spell

The first innings of the first T20 International saw the 32-year-old right-arm seamer Shabnim Ismail going all guns blazing against the hosts’ feeble batting-order as she scalped a stunning three wickets while bowling at an economy of 3.5. The right-arm quick bowler was successful in breaking the backbone of the oppositions’ batting line-up as she scalped the prized wicket of skipper Smriti Mandhana, who was playing at 11 for 9, along with Richa Ghosh and Arundhati Reddy.

Anne Bosch’s all-round effort

The 27-year-old batting all-rounder Anne Bosch was the wrecker-in-chief for the visiting side as they registered a scintillating win by a massive 8 wickets. The first half of the game saw Bosch picking two important wickets in the form of the opposition’s highest run-getter Harleen Deol and Jemimah Rodrigues. She also managed to put a halt to the flow of the runs as in two overs she conceded just 11 runs at an economy rate of 5.5. The second half of the match saw Anne in even better form with the willow as she played a sublime knock of 66 runs off 48 deliveries. Anne Bosch was awarded the Player of the Match award for her all-round performance

Harleen Deol’s all-round efforts in vain

A maiden T20I fifty for @imharleenDeol ?#INDvSA | https://t.co/7E2RIg3dQB pic.twitter.com/Z2aQGeDPP4

— ICC (@ICC) March 20, 2021

Just like Anne Bosch, Harleen Deol was at her fluent best both with the bat and the ball as she tried her best to help India win the game. However, unlike Anne, Harleen finished on the wrong side. While batting, Harleen racked up the impressive score of 52 runs including 6 boundaries at an economy rate of 110.64. Coming to bowling, the 22-year-old bowled three overs while conceding runs at an economy rate of 7 and picking the scalp of skipper Sune Luus.