Wolvaardt's 115 Powers Record Chase as SA Women Take 3-0 Lead vs India

With the win, the hosts took a 3-0 unassailable lead in the five-match series.

Put in to bat after South Africa opted to field, India posted an imposing 192/4, their best batting effort of the series. The opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma laid a solid foundation with a brisk 63-run stand inside eight overs.

Mandhana looked fluent for her 37, but fell just as she was threatening to accelerate further. The innings briefly stuttered when Nonkululeko Mlaba struck twice in quick succession, removing Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues (0) off consecutive deliveries.

However, Shafali continued her aggressive approach, bringing up a well-compiled half-century off 39 balls, laced with eight fours and two sixes.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur then took charge in the middle overs, counter-attacking with authority. The duo stitched together a crucial partnership that kept India on course for a big total.

Shafali eventually departed for 64 off 46 balls, but Harmanpreet carried on, reaching her fifty in style and finishing with a commanding 66 off 38 deliveries, including seven fours and three sixes.

A late flourish from Richa Ghosh (18 off 10) provided the finishing touches as India surged past the 190-run mark. Mlaba was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa with figures of 2/31, while the rest struggled to contain the scoring on a good batting surface.

In response, South Africa came out all guns blazing, with Wolvaardt and Sune Luus dismantling the Indian bowling attack from the outset. The pair raced to 72 without loss in the powerplay, setting the tone for what turned out to be a historic chase.

Wolvaardt was at her imperious best, capitalising on two dropped chances to make India pay dearly. Dropped on 31 and again on 85, the South African skipper made the reprieves count, registering her highest T20I score with a breathtaking 115 off just 53 balls, studded with 14 fours and five sixes.

Luus provided excellent support at the other end, anchoring the innings with a composed 57 off 40 balls as the duo stitched together a match-winning partnership. The Indian bowlers struggled for answers throughout, lacking penetration and discipline, while sloppy fielding further compounded their woes.

The breakthrough finally came in the 16th over when Wolvaardt was dismissed, but by then the damage had been done. South Africa comfortably chased down the target in just 16.3 overs, finishing at 193/1 to seal a comprehensive nine-wicket victory.

The win marked South Africa's highest successful chase in women's T20Is and the third-highest overall, as they took an unassailable lead in the series with two matches still to play.

Brief Scores: India 192/4 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 66, Shafali Verma 64; Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-31, Nadine de Klerk 1-27) lost to South Africa 193/1 in 16.3 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 115, Sune Luus 64; Shreyanka Patil 1-30) by 9 wickets.

- IANS