3rd T20I: No answers from India as South Africa seal series with dominant win

Johannesburg: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted her side had “no second answer” to South Africa’s relentless batting after a heavy defeat in the third T20I, which handed the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

India posted a strong 192/4, powered by a fluent 66 from Harmanpreet and an aggressive 64 from Shafali Verma. The innings was built on a 68-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, followed by a 73-run partnership between Harmanpreet and Shafali. Despite the solid total, it proved insufficient against a clinical South African chase.

South Africa’s victory was driven by captain Laura Wolvaardt, who produced a record-breaking 115, alongside Sune Luus. The pair stitched together a massive 183-run opening stand, dismantling India’s bowling attack and leaving the visitors searching for answers.

Reflecting on the loss, Harmanpreet acknowledged that while the total looked competitive, South Africa’s batters never allowed India back into the contest. Even missed chances, she felt, would not have changed the outcome given the dominance of the opposition.

India’s bowling struggled throughout, with Shreyanka Patil emerging as the only wicket-taker. The lack of breakthroughs in the powerplay proved costly, as South Africa capitalised early and maintained control for the entire chase.

Harmanpreet conceded that the bowling unit has not met expectations across the series, noting that early wickets are crucial to building pressure — something India failed to achieve. She stressed that both batting and bowling departments need improvement, especially with the ICC Women's T20 World Cup approaching.

On a personal note, the skipper found some positives, returning to form with a brisk half-century. She said it was satisfying to contribute with the bat, though the result overshadowed the effort.

Looking ahead, Harmanpreet emphasised the need to stick to plans, work harder, and refine strategies for the remaining matches. With the series already lost, India will now aim to avoid a clean sweep when they face South Africa in the fourth T20I at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.

With inputs from IANS