ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026: India Matches Powerplay Score Before Proteas Pull Things Back In Middle-Overs

Indian women's team produced a record-equalling powerplay burst before the South Africa women's national cricket team fought back to slow the scoring in their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Group clashes at Old Trafford.

Opting to bat first, India raced to 59/2 in the first six overs, matching their joint-highest powerplay score in Women's T20 World Cup history. The explosive start was driven by Shafali Verma, who took an aggressive approach from the outset. She hammered 31 off just 15 balls, including a brutal over against spinner Chloe Tryon that yielded 17 runs.

India crossed the 50-run mark in just 4.2 overs, underlining their attacking intent. However, South Africa struck key blows to prevent further damage. Smriti Mandhana, who made a quick 17, was bowled by Marizanne Kapp after an attempted scoop went wrong. Verma soon followed, edging a bouncer from Shabnim Ismail as India ended the powerplay at 59/2.

South Africa Fights Back With Disciplined Bowling

The momentum shifted significantly in the middle phase. South Africa tightened their lines through disciplined bowling and clever variations, restricting India to just 23 runs between overs 7 and 10. Yastika Bhatia attempted to keep the tempo going but was trapped LBW by Ayabonga Khaka for 15.

Amid the slowdown, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur walked in for a landmark appearance, becoming the first cricketer in history to feature in 200 T20 Internationals. Alongside Jemimah Rodrigues, she focused on rebuilding the innings through strike rotation.

Rodrigues eventually broke an 18-ball boundary drought with a stylish inside-out four, helping India reach 82/3 at the 10-over mark. While India's aggressive start set the tone, South Africa's disciplined comeback ensured the contest remained evenly poised heading into the second half of the innings.