The fifth and final T20I of the South Africa – India Women’s T20I series is set to take place at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on April 27, marking the end of a tour that has seen South Africa exert total dominance. The Proteas hit the ground running in Durban, clinical in their execution during the first two games to put India on the back foot immediately.
While the visitors showed a bit more fight as the action shifted to Johannesburg—posting a much more competitive 192 in the third game thanks to half-centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Shafali Verma—they simply had no answer for Laura Wolvaardt. The South African skipper’s breathtaking century at the Wanderers not only sealed the series 3-0 but India bounced back in the 4th T20I to avoid a whitewash as Deepti Sharma’s maiden 5-fer helped India secure a 14-run win defending 185.
Squads:
South Africa Women’s Cricket Team
Laura Wolvaardt (C), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Ayabonga Khaka, Sune Luus, Tebogo Macheke, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Kayla Reyneke, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Uma Chetry, Bharti Fulmali, Kranti Gaud, Kashvee Gautam, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Anushka Sharma, N Sree Charani
Players to watch out:
Nonkululeko Mlaba
Mlaba has been a consistent threat throughout the three matches, using her control to keep the Indian batters in check. She managed to pick up 4 wickets at a steady economy of 6.50, with her best figures of 2/31 showing her ability to provide breakthroughs. Across her 12 overs, she conceded only 78 runs, proving to be the most economical among the top wicket-takers in this series.
Annerie Dercksen
Dercksen played a vital role in the middle order, remaining unbeaten in both of her trips to the crease. She accumulated 56 runs at a brisk strike rate of 136.58, highlighted by a solid 44* that anchored the lower half of the innings. Her ability to find the boundary is evident from her six fours and a six, making her a dangerous finisher for the Proteas.
Smriti Mandhana
It has been a relatively quiet series by Mandhana’s high standards as she managed to score 62 runs across her three appearances. While she got starts in each game and struck 8 boundaries, her top score of 37 suggests she struggled to convert those into a match-winning total. Despite the lower average of 20.66, she maintained a healthy strike rate of 134.78 to keep the scoreboard moving during the powerplay.
Shreyanka Patil
Patil has emerged as a leading force in the bowling attack, topping the wicket charts for India with 5 scalps in three games. Although her economy rate sits slightly high at 8.27, her knack for taking wickets at crucial moments is reflected in a sharp strike rate of 13.20. Her best performance of 2/26 underlines her value as a genuine wicket-taking option in this competitive tour.
Pitch:
Willowmoore Park is historically known for its slower nature, often favoring spin bowlers as the match progresses. While it can be a decent track for batters who show application—with an average T20I score hovering around 150—it typically doesn’t offer significant lateral movement for the fast bowlers.
Weather:
Expect clear, sunny skies throughout the day and a high of 22°C, a low of 10°C, with a minimal 10% chance of rain during the day and a light 7 mph wind coming from the west.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shreyanka Patil, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma
Match Details:
Date – April 27, 2026
Time – 9:30 PM IST
Venue – Willowmoore Park, Benoni
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on Jio Hotstar and telecasted on Star Sports Network.
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