South Africa Women produced a remarkable chase to beat India Women by six wickets in the 18th match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester on June 21. Chasing 159, the Proteas reached the target in 19.1 overs, powered by Marizanne Kapp’s unbeaten 81 off 45 balls.
India posted 158/7 after winning the toss, but regular wickets and some sloppy fielding proved costly.
India Women build a competitive 158/7
India made a strong start in the powerplay, reaching 54/2. Shafali Verma smashed 31 off 15 balls with four fours and a six, while Smriti Mandhana added 17. However, the middle order could not accelerate consistently.
Yastika Bhatia fell for 15 and Jemimah Rodrigues managed only 12. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 24 off 22 balls before becoming another victim of Shabnim Ismail. Deepti Sharma fought hard with 29 off 21 balls, and Richa Ghosh chipped in with 15. Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail took two wickets each to restrict India to 158/7 after 20 over.
South Africa recover brilliantly in the chase
South Africa lost early momentum when Laura Wolvaardt was dismissed for 20 and Annerie Dercksen fell for a duck, leaving them at 25/2. Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp then steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Brits scored a valuable 40 off 36 balls before Shafali Verma removed her.
Kapp took complete control after that. She smashed seven fours and four sixes, finishing unbeaten on 81 off 45 balls at a strike rate of 180. Chloe Tryon hit a quick 10 off four balls to seal the win with five balls to spare. Shree Charani was India’s best bowler with 3/24, but the target proved too small in the end.
Marizanne Kapp delivers outstanding all-round display
Marizanne Kapp was the standout performer of the match. She not only scored a match-winning unbeaten 81 but also claimed two wickets with the ball earlier. Despite being dropped a couple of times in the field, Kapp punished every loose delivery and kept the required rate under control throughout the chase. Her explosive innings ensured South Africa stayed in the hunt for a semi-final spot.
Harmanpreet Kaur achieves historic milestone
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur became the first player in cricket history to play 200 T20 Internationals during this match. She received warm applause from the crowd and teammates for the landmark. However, her team could not celebrate the occasion with a win. Kaur scored 24 runs but will be disappointed with the result and the missed chances in the field.
What the result means for both teams
With this victory, South Africa improved their record to two wins and one loss, keeping their semi-final hopes alive. India also have four points from three matches but suffered their first defeat of the tournament. Australia continues to lead Group A unbeaten. India will now look to bounce back strongly in their remaining games, while South Africa will take huge confidence from this performance against a strong opponent.