Chennai: 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 on Tuesday.
India are trailing the three-match series 0-1 after losing the opener by 12 runs. Their problems compounded after the second game here on Sunday was washed out midway due to persistent drizzle. And with 30 to 40 per cent of rain forecast for Tuesday, the Indians are left on the mercy of weather gods.
In both matches, the Indian bowlers cut a sorry figure as South Africa amassed 189 for 9 and 177 for 6 respectively. Barring Pooja Vastrakar, who picked up two wickets each in both games and spinner Deepti Sharma, most of the Indian bowlers failed to shine against the Proteas women.
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 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 has been a decent show by the Indians in the first game. The likes of Jemimah Rodrigues (53 not out), Smriti Mandhana (46), Harmanpreet (35), Shafali Verma (18) and Daylan Hemalatha (14) all making double-digit scores. Uma Chetry, who made her T20I debut on Sunday, is likely to persist with as Harmanpreet and the team management would like to see her exploits with the bat.
South Africa, on the other hand, has been rock solid with the bat with Tazmin Brits, who hit consecutive half-centuries, leading the charge. Besides Brits, skipper Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Anneke Bosch have contributed with the bat as well for the visitors. South Africa's only concern is Chloe Tryon, who has scored identical 12 runs in the two games. And with the upcoming T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in mind, Tryon will be desperate to prove her detractors wrong.
Teams (from):
India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Smriti Mandhana(vc), Uma Chetry(wk), Richa Ghosh(wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana, Deepti Sharma, Asha Sobhana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Shabnam Shakil, Pooja Vastrakar and Radha Yadav.
South Africa Women: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Mieke de Ridder(wk), Sinalo Jafta(wk), Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tumi Sekhukhune.
Match starts: 7.00 pm (IST).
