Indian eves clinch T20I series 3-1

Cape Town: India clinched the women's Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket series 3-1 after crushing South Africa by 54 runs in the fifth and final match here on Saturday.

India, who also pocketed the One-Day International (ODI) series, rode on superb all-round show during which they scored 166/4 before bowling out the hosts for 112 in 18 overs.

India had won the first two matches before South Africa bagged the third match, while the fourth match was called off.

In the fifth match, veteran opening batter Mithali Raj (62 off 50 balls) and young Jemimah Rodrigues (44 off 38) shared a 98-run stand for the second wicket to give India a highly competitive total.

Mithali, who scored her 12th fifty, hit eight fours and three sixes before being caught by wicket-keeper Lizelle Lee off medium pacer Shabnim Ismail in the fifth ball of the 16th overs as the visitors lost their second wicket for 130.

After her fall, captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a brisk knock of 27 not out off 17 deliveries to take India to 166/4.

While defending the tota, medium pacers Rumeli Dhar, Shikha Pandey and left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad picked three wickets each as the host was bowled out for 112.

Brief scores: India: 166/4 in 20 overs (Mithali Raj 62, Jemimah Rodrigues 44; Harmanpreet Kaur 27) bt South Africa: 112 in 18 overs. (M Kapp 27, C Tryon 25; S Pandey 3/16, R Dhar 3/26).