South Africa’s Thrilling Victory

Marizanne Kapp was the hero as South Africa won a thrilling, see-sawing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match, defeating India by six wickets.

India (ICC Ranking: 3) were on track for a huge total until South Africa found their lines and lengths, restricting their opponents to 158 for seven as Kapp took two for 27.

South Africa (ICC Ranking: 5) were sluggish to begin their chase before a 97-run stand from Kapp and Tazmin Brits moved the Proteas into the ascendancy and Kapp took them to victory with 81 not out.

Victory keeps South Africa’s semi-final hopes alive as both they and India sit on two wins and one loss.

KAPP AND ISMAIL PEG INDIA BACK

India were flying early on as Smriti Mandhana crunched Shabnim Ismail for back-to-back fours in the second over.

Mandhana then attempted a scoop shot and was instead bowled for 17 from 12 as Marizanne Kapp made the breakthrough.

Laura Wolvaardt turned to spin and Chloe Tryon, and it proved the wrong decision as she conceded 17 runs from her first over before India’s fifty was reached off 26 balls.

Ismail found her line and length to dismiss Shafali Verma for 31 runs as Verma gloved the ball behind to Sinalo Jafta while ducking out the way of a bouncer as India ended the powerplay at 59 for two.

Ayabonga Khaka then struck with her second ball as she trapped Yastika Bhatia LBW, who departed for 15 from 13.

That brought out Harmanpreet Kaur in her 200th T20 international, as she batted for the 179th time for India in the shortest format of the game.

Like Khaka, Nadine de Klerk took a wicket off her second delivery, as a tentative Jemimah Rodrigues sent a caught and bowled opportunity to the pace bowler as India slipped to 83 for four just after halfway.

At the second drinks break, Kaur required extended treatment seemingly for sickness and she had to go four balls later as she was bowled by Ismail for 24.

Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh played positively but they were the final two India wickets as Kapp and Khaka took good low catches and India ended on 158 for seven, well short of where they could have been.

KAPP ORCHESTRATES THRILLING CHASE

South Africa quickly fell behind the run rate and were in deeper trouble when Laura Wolvaardt was expertly caught and bowled by Sree Charani for 20 from 21 balls.

Charani then cleaned up Annerie Dercksen for a two-ball duck to leave the Proteas at 25 for two at the end of the powerplay as she produced a double-wicket maiden.

India then dropped Brits on 16 and Kapp on nine as Charani judged a high catch wrong and Nandni Sharma tipped a difficult chance over the boundary for six.

With 10 overs to go, South Africa needed 100 runs with neither Brits or Kapp yet able to up the ante.

Brits then successfully overturned an LBW decision on 28, before substitute fielder Radha Yadav put down a tough diving chance with Kapp on 29 as Charani conceded 13 runs off the over.

South Africa had found their groove, exemplified by two ramp shots from Kapp to move to her fifty from 34 balls.

With 24 balls remaining, South Africa needed 37 to win but Kapp and Brits’ 97-run stand ended as Charani caught Brits for 40 in the deep.

Verma almost had two wickets in the over, but Kapp was dropped on 66 as Yadav put down an easy catch.

The dangerous Nadine de Klerk could not take South Africa home as she was bowled by Charani (3/24) for five.

But it mattered not as Kapp crunched a huge six to take her side to the brink before hitting the winnings runs having made a stunning 81 not out from 45.

Scores in brief

South Africa v India – Old Trafford, Manchester

India: 158/7 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 31, Deepti Sharma 29; Marizanne Kapp 2/27, Shabnim Ismail 2/28)

South Africa: 161/4 in 19.1 overs (Kapp 81 not out, Tazmin Brits 40; Sree Charani 3/24, Shafali Verma 1/22)

Result: South Africa win by six wickets