No half measures: With series on line, India eye improved show in final T20I

Chennai, July 8

Desperate to level the three-match series after the second game was washed out, India would hope weather doesn’t play spoilsport, besides eyeing a much-improved bowling effort in the final women’s T20I against South Africa here tomorrow.

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Runs scored by South Africa off the final two overs in the second T20I

India are trailing the three-match series 0-1 after losing the opener by 12 runs. Their problems compounded after the second game was washed out midway due to persistent drizzle. And with a 40 per cent chance of rain tomorrow, the Indians are left on the mercy of the weather gods.

In both the matches, the Indian bowlers cut a sorry figure as South Africa amassed 189/9 and 177/6. Barring Pooja Vastrakar, who picked up two wickets each in both the games, and spinner Deepti Sharma, most of the Indian bowlers failed to shine against the Proteas.

Renuka Singh leaked runs in the first game and was subsequently replaced by Sajeevan Sajana in the second T20I but the latter also didn’t help her cause. Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav picked up a wicket each on Sunday but continued to leak runs. India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur would want her bowlers to pull up their socks with the series at stake.

On the batting front, it was a decent show by the Indians in the first game, with Jemimah Rodrigues (53 not out), Smriti Mandhana (46), Harmanpreet (35), Shafali Verma (18) and Daylan Hemalatha (14) all making double-digit scores.