East London (South Africa), Jan 20: Debutant Amanjot Kaur came up with a matured knock of unbeaten 41 off 30 balls as India fought back from a wobbly situation to post a 27-run win over South Africa in their Women’s T20I Tri-Series opener here. Opting to bowl on a dry and slow Buffalo Park strip, the hosts sent back half of the Indian side inside 12 overs with just 69 runs on the board. From thereon, Deepti Sharma (33 from 23 balls) took control of the proceedings with the 23-year-old Amanjot playing the perfect second fiddle in their match-turning 76-run partnership off just 50 balls to prop India to a challenging 147 for 6 on Thursday night.
In reply, the Indian spinners exploited the conditions well with senior off-spinner Deepti leading the show with figures of 3/30 to restrict South Africa to 120 for 9. India suffered an early setback as skipper Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t play because of illness and in her absence Smriti Mandhana led the side.
India did not have the best of starts as Mandhana got out cheaply for seven in the third over when she miscued one to Chloe Troyn at mid-off.
Opening in absence of Shafali Verma, wicketkeeper-batter Yaskita Bhatia (35 off 34 balls; 3x4s, 1×6) held on to one end but wickets kept on falling at the other side.
After Mandhan’s departure, Harleen Deol (8), Jemimah Rodrigues (0) and Devika Vaidya (9) also fell cheaply to have India in real trouble at 69 for 5 in 11.4 overs.
South Africa skipper Sune Luus rotated her bowlers, giving them a one-over spell in the first four overs and managed to keep the runs under check as India made just in 29 for 1 in powerplay.
With both Shafali and Richa Ghosh busy doing national duty in the inaugural U-19 T20I World Cup, Yastika made most of the opportunity to get off to a good start. But the well-set Yastika failed to convert it to a big one and was foxed by off-spinner Delmi Tucker’s by a quick one that skidded off her back pad to unsettle the stumps.
Deepti returned to cast her magic with the ball when she had Laura Wolvaardt caught of her own bowling in her fourth ball.
The other opener Anneke Bosch fell to Rajeshwari Gayakwad as India, with six spin-bowling options, made merry on the dry surface.
India will next face the West Indies on Monday. (PTI)
