India women beat South Africa by 54 runs in 5th T20I, clinch series 3-1 to complete rare double

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Cape Town, Feb 24: India women's cricket team created history by defeating South Africa by 54 runs in the fifth and final Twenty20 International and clinched the series 3-1, here on Saturday (February 24).

Senior-pro Mithali Raj scored 62 off 50 balls while teenager Jemimah Rodrigues smashed 44 off 34 balls as Indian women scored a competitive 166 for 4 in 20 overs. It was the 93-run stand between the two for the second wicket which ensured Women In Blue post a challenging total.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (27* off 17) and Veda Krishnamurthy (8 off 6) scored quickly and took the visitors to 166.

In response, South Africa women never looked settled as the pressure of chasing kept mounting on them. Their skipper Dane Van Niekerk - who was very dangerous in the previous game - was dismissed cheaply by pacer Rumeli Dhar.

After being hit for runs in the previous T20I - that was abandoned due to rain - Indian bowlers came back strongly in Cape Town and consistently bowled at good line and length. It was the disciplined bowling from India that maintained pressure over hosts and bundled them to 112 in 18 overs.

Shikha Pandey and Dhar took three wickets apiece and ensured South Africa couldn't play full 20 overs. Marizanne Kapp (27 off 21) was the highest scorer for Protea women as none of them could score freely and wickets kept tumbling.

Mithali was named the player of the match for her knock and was even named the player of the series for constantly scoring runs in the series. Raj scored 192 runs from four innings, including 3 fifties.

India had already won the ODI series 2-1 to win their first limited-overs' series in South Africa.

Brief Scores:

India women: 166/4 in 20 overs (Mithali Raj 62 off 50 balls, Jemimah Rodrigues 44 off 34 balls, Harmanpreet Kaur 27 off 17 balls) vs South Africa.

South Africa women: 112 all out in 18 overs. (M Kapp 27, C Tryon 25; S Pandey 3/16, R Dhar 3/26)