Tazmin Brits shone with a career-best score, alongside Marizanne Kapp’s half-century, as the Proteas Women secured a 12-run victory against India in the first T20 International (T20I) in Chennai on Friday.

Brits, named Player of the Match, produced a stellar batting display with 81 runs off 56 balls, including 10 fours and three sixes. She was well-supported by Kapp’s attacking 33-ball 57 (8 fours, 1 six), helping South Africa post a formidable 189/4 in their 20 overs.

Despite a half-century from India’s Jemimah Rodrigues (53* off 30 balls; 7 fours, 1 six), the host nation was restricted to 177/4 in their allotted overs, allowing South Africa to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

After losing out at the toss and being asked to set a score in hot and humid conditions at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium, Proteas openers Brits and Laura Wolvaardt set about their task in aggressive fashion. 

Wolvaardt led the charge with a 22-ball 33 that included three fours and two sixes, combining well with Brits to propel South Africa to 44/0 at the end of the Powerplay before the duo marked their half-century stand.

The breakthrough for India came through Radha Yadav (2/40), who clean-bowled Wolvaardt. This wicket brought the experienced Kapp to the crease, and she quickly found her rhythm, collaborating with Brits to increase the run rate.

The pair quickly brought up their 50-run stand, taking South Africa into triple figures before Brits celebrated her 10th T20I fifty. She was soon followed by Kapp, who raced to her fifth half-century in the shortest format.

With the score at 145/1 after 16 overs, Yadav picked up another important wicket as Kapp sliced the ball to a fielder at short third, ending an impressive 96-run stand for the second wicket.

However, this wicket did little to slow down the Proteas batters. Brits found another able partner in Chloé Tryon (12), adding 38 runs for the third wicket before both batters were dismissed in the final over by Pooja Vastrakar (2/23), guiding South Africa to their highest T20I total against India.

In reply, the home side started strongly, with Shafali Verma (18) and Smriti Mandhana (46) exploding to a 50-run partnership within the opening six overs before Ayabonga Khaka (1/39) picked up the first wicket, with Verma caught behind by wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta.

Following a rapid start by the Indian batters, disciplined bowling and fielding helped keep the host nation at bay. Two wickets in two balls on either side of the drinks break from Tryon (1/32) and Nadine de Klerk (1/30) removed Mandhana and Dayalan Hemalatha (14), leaving India at 87/3 in the 11th over.

Needing 103 runs for victory, India’s new batters Harmanpreet Kaur (35) and Rodrigues assembled a valiant 90-run stand, led by Rodrigues’ strokeplay, taking the home team to the final over needing 21 runs to win.

Despite Rodrigues hitting the first ball of the over for four, reducing the target to 17 off 5 deliveries, leg-spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba (1/32) held her nerve, conceding only four more runs and claiming the scalp of Kaur with the last ball of the match, to seal a positive result for South Africa.

The second T20I between the two sides will take place on Sunday, 07 July at 19h00 local time (15h30SAST).

Proteas Women T20I  Squad – Outbound Tour to India (05 – 09 July) 

Laura Wolvaardt (Captain) (Fidelity Titans), Anneke Bosch (Fidelity Titans), Tazmin Brits (DP World LIons), Nadine de Klerk (World Sports Betting Western Province), Annerie Dercksen (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Mieke de Ridder (Six Gun Grill Garden Route Badgers), Sinalo Jafta (DP World Lions), Marizanne Kapp (World Sports Betting Western Province), Ayabonga Khaka (DP World Lions), Masabata Klaas (Fidelity Titans), Suné Luus (Fidelity Titans), Eliz-Mari Marx (Fidelity Titans), Nonkululeko Mlaba (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tumi Sekhukhune (DP World Lions), Chloé Tryon (DP World Lions)

Fixtures – Proteas Women’s Outbound Tour to India (16 June – 09 July)

T20 International Series:

Sunday, 07 July @ 15h30 – 2nd T20I: India vs South Africa (M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai)

Tuesday, 09 July @ 15h30 – 3rd T20I: India vs South Africa (M A Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai)