Captain Mithali Raj scored 54 not out to give India a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the first of the five women's Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) here on Tuesday.
Chasing 164/4, Mithali got good support from Veda Krishnamurthy (37 not out), Jemimah Rodriques (37) and opener Smriti Mandhana (28) as India overhauled the target with 1.1 overs and seven wickets to spare.
Mithali struck her 11th fifty in T20I cricket. Her unbeaten 54 came from 48 deliveries, out of which six went for fours and one went over the rope.
Earlier in the South African innings, captain Dane van Niekerk (38), Chloe Tryon (32 not out) and Mignon du Preez (31) contributed with crucial knocks. They were assisted by Nadine de Klerk (23 not out), Lizelle Lee (19) and Sune Luus (18).
For India, off-spinner Anuja Patil picked up two wickets, while medium pacers Shikha Pandey and Pooja Vastrakar got a wicket each.
Brief scores: South Africa: 164/4 in 20 overs (Dane van Niekerk 38, Chloe Tryon 32 not out, Mignon du Preez 31; Anuja Patil 2/23) vs India: 168/3 in 18.5 overs (Mithali Raj 54 not out, Veda Krishnamurthy 37 not out, Jemimah Rodriques 37; Moseline Daniels 1/16).
--IANS
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