Ongama Gcwabe
India Women 144/7
Richa Ghosh 36, Deepti Sharma 35, Ayabonga Khaka 5/25, Annerie Dercksen 1/13
South Africa Women 116/6
Laura Wolvaardt 29, Chloe Tryon 24, Asha Sobhana 2/21, Deepti Sharma 1/2
India Women won by 28 runs
The Proteas women suffered a worrying defeat to their India counterparts in their second and final warm-up match at the ICC Academy in Dubai yesterday, marking a second consecutive loss in the lead-up to the highly anticipated ICC Women’s World Cup, set to commence tomorrow in the UAE.
The fading fortunes of the Proteas Women have highlighted a growing concern regarding their batting reliability. Throughout the year, the team has been heavily reliant on a select trio in the top-order – Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, and Marizane Kapp.
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Presenting the fixtures for the Proteas Women in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup taking place in the UAE.
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The batting order’s apparent fragility meant that without significant contributions from these players, South Africa struggled to post competitive totals, and yesterday’s performance showcased this ongoing issue once again.
In a match that began with promise, Wolvaardt and Brits managed to stitch together a solid partnership, amassing 37 runs in just 6.5 overs before both fell victim to a disciplined Indian bowling attack. Despite the early gains, the absence of a robust middle-order performance soon became evident.
The promising prospects seen in earlier outings — where players like Sune Luus and Anneke Bosch showed signs of form against Pakistan — seemed a distant memory as they crumbled under pressure, with Bosch and Luus managing only three runs apiece.
Falling short of the target, South Africa's lower order did exhibit some fight, with Chloe Tryon hitting 24 runs off 20 balls and Dercksen remaining unbeaten on 21 from 16 deliveries. Even so, the team ultimately faltered, finishing on 116 runs, well short of India’s 144/7.
On the bowling front, it was Ayabonga Khaka who shone brightly for the Proteas, claiming a remarkable five-wicket haul with impressive figures of 5/25 in her four-over spell. Her early breakthroughs, including the dismissal of India's explosive opener Shefali Verma for a duck and the Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur for just 10 runs, seemed to put South Africa in a favourable position at the outset of the game.
The Indian batting line-up, however, gradually found its rhythm with commendable contributions from Richa Ghosh, who top-scored with 36 runs, Deepti Sharma adding 35 and Jemimah Rodrigues making her mark with 30 runs. This collective effort saw the Indian squad reach a respectable total, presenting a challenging task for the Proteas in their chase.
As they turn their focus towards the World Cup, the South African women's team faces questions about their batting depth and resilience. With the spotlight now fully on the impending tournament, fans and critics alike will be watching closely to see if coach Hilton Moreeng and his side can address these issues in time for the main event.