When and Where to Watch India Women vs South Africa Women, Live Streaming, Match Preview, Timings, and Pitch Report for 3rd T20I

One clinical show after the other, South Africa seem to be firm favorites to pocket the series 3-0, while after the many misses, this is India’s chance to redeem their dented pride and close the tour on a high.

Published - 22 Mar 2021, 19:24 IST | Updated - 22 Mar 2021, 19:24 IST

3 Min Read

South Africa Women, on the back of quick-fire half-centuries of Lizelle Lee and Laura Wolvaardt, clinched a last-ball thriller in the second T20I of the series to complete their double over India Women.

After being inserted to bat, India once again lost Smriti Mandhana cheaply before Shafali Verma launched a powerplay assault to bring India back on track. Harleen Deol, who scored a half-century in the previous game, scored a run-a-ball 31, although it was Richa Ghosh’s brisk 26-ball 44 that took India to 158/4, a much stronger total when compared to what they amassed in the first T20I a night before.

Having set the ODI series alight by her consistent performances, Lizelle Lee dazzled in two fifty-plus stands – 58 from 47 alongside skipper Sune Luus, followed by 50 from 35 with Wolvaardt – to ensure that her side claimed the series at the earliest juncture. While the margin of victory – 6 wickets – suggests a convincing victory for the visitors, it was from nowhere one. The visitors needed 43 off the last 5 overs when Lee was dismissed. The situation gradually boiled down to nine needed off the last over, and three disciplined balls later, six off last two.

A no-ball, however, from Arundhati Reddy, bowling the ultimate over, changed the course of the game and left the scores at level with a ball left, which was fumbled for long enough at fine leg to let Wolvaardt steal a single to take her side across the line. Twice in a row, India Women were let down by shoddy fielding and dropped catches that took the game away from them.

The pain was to be felt in what India stand-in skipper, Mandhana, stated after the game, describing it as a “bitter pill to swallow”. She stated in no uncertain terms that her side did not deserve the game with those kinds of efforts in the field. “Thought 80 percent of the time it was our game but we could not close it out. Probably the way we fielded, I don’t think we deserved to win the game.”

One clinical show after the other, South Africa seems to be firm favorites to pocket the series 3-0, while after the many misses, this is India’s chance to redeem their dented pride and close the tour on a high.

Pitch and conditions

After a low-scoring affair in the first T20I, the track played well with both sides breaching the 150-mark. Expect another batting-friendly surface in a hot evening of Lucknow.

Playing Combination for India Women vs South Africa Women

India Women

Predicted XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana (C), Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Nuzhat Parween (WK), Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Simran Bahadur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Mansi Joshi

South Africa Women

Predicted XI: Lizelle Lee, Anneke Bosch, Sune Luus (C), Lara Goodall, Laura Wolvaardt, Mignon du Preez, Sinalo Jafta (WK), Shabnim Ismail, Nadine de Klerk, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Ayabonga Khaka