India’s perfect record at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup came to an end in disappointing fashion in the field as South Africa pulled off a memorable chase.
India posted a competitive total, but were unable to make the most of moments in the match and were punished by the Proteas, who claimed a six-wicket win.
The defeat leaves India with work to do in the remaining group stage matches, but captain Harmanpreet Kaur is confident her side can bounce back and remain firmly in contention for a semifinal spot.
South Africa’s chase gained momentum largely because India could not hold on to crucial opportunities in the field.
Tazmin Brits was dropped early in her innings, while Marizanne Kapp survived two chances and made India suffer with a match-winning knock. The experienced all-rounder remained unbeaten on 81 and guided South Africa home comfortably.
Looking back at the game, Harmanpreet admitted that dropped catches played a huge role in the result.
‘I think we got a couple of chances in between, but unfortunately we weren’t able to take those chances. But I still think we have two matches to go, and this is the time to stay positive and think about those matches. I think we always talk about how we have to take opportunities at this level, but unfortunately we were not lucky enough today.
‘But I think still we have another two games, and now this is the time to think about those games. Next match (against Bangladesh in Manchester on Thursday), I think we still have two, three more days, and we will sit and rethink what we have to do, and accordingly we will pick the eleven.’
While the result was disappointing, Harmanpreet found positives in the performances of young spinners Sree Charani and Shafali Verma.
The duo managed to trouble the South African batters and were among the wicket-takers during the chase.
‘I think Shree Charani and Shafali bowled really well. They were creating challenges, but unfortunately other bowlers didn’t support them.’
India used their spin attack extensively during South Africa’s innings, and Harmanpreet explained the reasoning behind that decision.
She felt the surface offered enough assistance for slow bowlers, but believed some bowlers could have adapted better to the conditions.
‘If you’re bowling, the ball was a little bit turning. If you use your finger spinners really well, then I think Shafali and Sree Charani did really well. And other spinners need to think about, like, how we have to bowl, especially on these kind of wickets.’
India are still in the race for a semifinals spot with two group stage games to go. The side will now look to the next game against Bangladesh, knowing that better fielding and sharper execution could be the difference between staying in the tournament and an early exit.