India’s strong performances from Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana weren’t enough as they failed to chase down 190 against South Africa in Chennai on Friday. Tazmin Brits led the visitors with an impressive 81 off 56 balls, securing a 12 run victory for South Africa in the 1st T20I.

India’s winning streak in T20Is ended as they lost the first game of a three match series to South Africa by 12 runs in a high scoring contest. Coming off a 5-0 series win against Bangladesh, India was confident but their bowling fell short in this series opener.

Despite winning the ODI series 3-0 and the lone Test match against South Africa, India struggled in the T20I. Contributions from Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Jemimah Rodrigues couldn’t close the gap to the 190 run target. The loss also marked India’s first defeat in the multi format series against the visiting South African team.

South Africa takes the lead in threematch series

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the team’s shortcomings “We dropped too many chances in the field and played too many dot balls in the middle overs. They bowled well, but we needed to keep the momentum going.” Her statement highlighted the critical moments where India faltered despite a strong start.

India opted to bowl first, hoping to capitalize on early conditions. However, Renuka Singh and the other new ball bowlers couldn’t secure early wickets. Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits formed a strong opening partnership, putting pressure on the Indian bowlers right from the start.

South Africa’s strong start and key partnerships

Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav managed to strike in the 8th over, removing Wolvaardt. However, Brits and Marizanne Kapp added 96 runs for the second wicket, with Kapp scoring 57 off 33 balls while Brits dominated with her 81. This partnership was crucial in setting up a formidable total for South Africa.

Brits’ late innings surge helped South Africa post a challenging total. Only Pooja Vastrakar and Radha Yadav took two wickets each for India, while the other bowlers struggled. Spinners Deepti Sharma and Asha Sobhana leaked 84 runs between them in 8 overs without taking a wicket.

Mandhana and Rodrigues lead India’s chase

In response, India had a strong start with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana adding 56 runs quickly. However, Shafali fell for 18, and Dayalan Hemalatha couldn’t maintain the scoring rate, managing just 14 off 17 balls. Mandhana’s dismissal for 46 in the 10th over shifted momentum away from India.

Despite Jemimah Rodrigues unbeaten 53 and captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s 35, India couldn’t reach the target. The high-scoring thriller ended with South Africa taking a 1-0 lead in the series, showcasing their resilience and tactical superiority in crucial moments.