South Africa Women have been clinical in their execution so far, securing a 2-0 T20I series lead against India, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb. In the opening clash, South Africa successfully chased down 158 with five balls to spare, and they followed that up with an even more dominant eight-wicket victory in Durban. While Shafali Verma’s aggressive fifty provided a spark for India in the second game, the middle order struggled to capitalize on the platform, eventually stumbling to 147—a total that Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus dismantled with ease during a commanding opening stand.
Heading into the third T20I at the Wanderers, the stakes couldn’t be higher as India faces a must-win situation to keep the five-match series alive. The famous Johannesburg surface typically offers extra bounce and pace, which should suit South Africa’s confident top order but also gives India’s bowlers a chance to be more expressive. For the Women in Blue to bounce back, they’ll need senior figures like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur to fire alongside Shafali, while the bowling unit must find a way to break partnerships early. It’s a battle of nerves: the hosts are looking to wrap up the trophy with two games to spare, while India is fighting to stay in the hunt.
Head-to-Head (T20Is):
- Total Matches Played – 21
- India Wins – 10
- South Africa Wins – 8
- N/R – 3
The historical rivalry between these two sides remains incredibly tight, with India holding a slight edge in their T20 head-to-head record. Out of the 21 matches played so far, India have emerged victorious 10 times, while South Africa has claimed 8 wins, illustrating just how competitive these fixtures have been over the years. With 3 matches ending in no result, the slim margin between the two teams suggests that momentum can shift quickly, and the hosts are currently well-positioned to close that gap even further as the series progresses.
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
Where to Watch: South Africa Women vs India Women – 3rd T20I:
Date – April 22, 2026 (Wednesday)
Time – 9:30 PM IST
Venue – The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Broadcast & Live Streaming Details:
India – Jio Hotstar, Star Sports Network
South Africa – SuperSport
Fixtures:
1st T20I – April 17: Kingsmead – South Africa Won by 6 wickets
2nd T20I – April 19: Kingsmead – South Africa Won by 8 wickets
3rd T20I – April 22: The Wanderers
4th T20I – April 25: The Wanderers
5th T20I – April 27: Willowmoore Park
Loves all things female cricket