Dubai, Oct 1 Fine middle-order batting by Jemimah Rodrigues (30), Richa Ghosh (36) and Deepti Sharma (35 not out) and all-round good bowling helped India Women beat South Africa Women by 28 runs in a warm-up match ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at the ICC Academy here on Tuesday. With the middle-order holding the fort, India Women posted a modest 144/7 in 20 overs before coming back to restrict South Africa to 116/6 to win the match by 28 runs.
Asked to bat first after South Africa won the toss, India Women lost explosive opener Shafali Verma for zero and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for 10 as they slumped to 18/2 in the fourth over. But Smriti Mandhana (21) and Jemimah took the score to 58 before the former was caught by Nadine de Klerk off Nonkululeko Mlaba.
Jemimah, who scored 30 off 26 balls, too departed as India slumped to 67/3 before Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh raised 70 runs for the fifth wicket. Richa struck 36 off 25 balls, studded with two fours and two sixes. Deepti hammered 35 not out off 29 balls, hitting two fours, as India posted a decent total.
In reply, openers Laura Wolvaardt (29) and Tazmin Brits (22) raised 37 runs for the first wicket partnership before Asha Sobhana gave India the breakthrough by dismissing Tazmin.
Deepti Sharma accounted for Anneke Bosch (3) and Shreyanka Patil sent back Wolvaardt to make it 56/3 before Sobhana struck again, removing Sune Luus for 3 as South Africa slumped to 66/4 in the 12th over. Chloe Tryon (24) and Annerie Dercksen (21 not out) raised some hopes but South Africa found the going tough and were restricted to 116/6/
For India, Sobhana finished with 2-31 off her three fours while Renuka Singh bowled a brilliant spell to concede 16 runs in four overs. Deepti Sharma (1-2), Harmanpreet Kaur (1-2), Shafali Verma (1-12) Shreyanka Patil (1-21) were the other wicket takers for India Women.
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