Harmanpreet-led team India has won 3 matches and one match has ended with a no-result in this tournament. Team India has been undefeated in this series and will hope to end the tri-series with a triumph in the finale. The Hosts SA-W beat WI-W in their encounters but failed to beat India. The Proteas will hope to defeat India in the important final and clinch the trophy in their backyard.
The Proteas Women beat the Caribbean Women by 10 wickets in the 4th match of the tournament. Courtesy of Tazmin Brits (50*) and Laura Wolvarrt (42* runs) made short work of the 98-run target in just 13.4 overs. Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, and Chloe Tryon have played some good cameos in the middle order so far.
African bowlers restricted Windies batters to 97/8 & 97/6 in the last 2 matches. The left-arm orthodox bowler Proteas bowler Nonukela Mlaba was the star performer across 2 matches with figures of 1/9 & 2/7 in her full quota of overs. Ayabongha Khaka (1/11), Chloe Tryon (1/26) and Maasabata Klaas (4/21 & 1/18) have been their chief bowlers in the middle overs with the likes of Nadine De Klerk and Temi Sukhukune bowling some vital overs in the middle overs.
Team India chased down the paltry target of 95 runs inside 14 overs to win by 8 wickets in the 6th match of the T20 series. Blistering left-handed India’s opening batter Smriti Mandana (7, 74*, 0* & 5), Jemimah Rodrigues (0 & 42*)and the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (32*& 56*) have been their lead run scorers so far with Harleen Deol and Yastika Bhatia making crucial cameos for the Women’s in blue. India’s batting has been hugely untested so far barring the first match and the 5th match of the tournament ended with no result as only 2 overs were bowled due to the interruption of rain.
The all-rounder Deepti Sharma picked up dream figures of 4-2-11-3 in the last game and she has taken the most in the league so far with 8 wickets in the 4 matches with an average of 8.75. Rajeshwari Gaikwad (4-1-19-1) and Pooja Vastrakar (4-0-19-1) bowled well in tandem and restricted the opposition effectively. Renuka Singh, Shikha Pandey and Pooja Vastrakar will form the core of their pace bowling unit.
Match Details
Match: SA-W vs IND-W, Final T20, Women’s Tri-Nation T20, 2023
Date: Wednesday, February 02, 2023
Time: 06:30 PM (Feb 02)
Venue: Buffalo Park, East London, South Africa
Pitch Report:
The venue will be hosting its final match of this tournament. It will be a slightly slower surface and at times may be double-paced with variable bounce on the track owing to the used nature. Buffalo Park, East London will have bright and sunny weather with no weather interruptions expected on the match day between India and South Africa. It will have a good outfield with the ball flying to the boundaries off the bat. We expect the average scores to be around 145-155 runs in the final.
Given the bowling attack of both teams, it looks quite challenging to put on a competitive total at this venue. The weather forecast for this game is going to be light clouds with a moderate breeze. The venue will host the final match of the 2023 Tri-series between SA-W and IND-W on Wednesday.
The maximum temperature will remain at 31°C, with a low of 20°C with 70% humidity, and a light wind speed of 10 Km/hr for the final T20 on Feb 02 between SA-W vs IND-W. Some rain is expected in East London on the morning of the match, but the match is unlikely to be disrupted with a 1% chance of precipitation.
SA-W vs IND-W Squads:
SA-W: Sune Luus (Captain), Chloe Tryon (Vice-Captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tebogo Macheke, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt
IND-W: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (Vice Captain), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Shushma Verma (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Sabbhineni Meghana, Sneh Rana, Shikha Pandey
Probable Playing XI
SA-W: Sune Luus (Captain), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Nadine de Klerk, Masabata Klaas, Shabnim Ismail, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka
IND-W: Yastika Bhatia (wk), Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Devika Vaidya, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Match Prediction:
The Visitors team India has been on a roll with clinical victories in their matches played so far and has not lost any match in this tournament. Women in blue will look to continue their winning momentum in the final match too. The Hosts South Africa has a strong team with several all-rounders in the playing XI.
But in this tournament, India has beaten South Africa once while the second round ended between both sides ended in a no result. SA-W will forget the past and will look to win this match and upset IND-W. We say India to win this match and claim the trophy.