Mithali, Mandhana key to India women’s cricket team success

The Indian women’s team has displayed a top-class performance against South Africa in the on-going T20 International series and in the recently-concluded One-Day International series, which it won 2-1.

With an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match T20 series, the Indians would go for the home run when it takes on the hosts for the final T20 game at Cape Town and aim to achieve a double series win. However, South Africa bounced back to win the third match by five wickets to keep the series alive.

The visitors would have tried to seal the series in the fourth T20 match but rain washed out the game. A victory for the Indian women would give it the bragging rights of being the first side to have won two series on a single tour of South Africa. This win would be a great boost for the young team given the fact that it recently won the T20 series in Australia too.

All eyes will be on veteran Mithali Raj, who has been exceptional in the series so far.

She scored two consecutive half-centuries (54, 76) in the first two matches but failed to open her account in the third.

Apart from Mithali, opener Smriti Mandhana has also provided her team with solid start with the scores of 28, 57, 37 in the first three matches.