South Africa Women vs India Women, 18th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - CommentaryRSAW vs INDW, 18th Match, Group A, ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 - Commentary

Phew, that will take some time to settle in. An absolutely stunning knock from Marizanne Kapp who was brilliant with the ball as well earlier on. The pitch didn't look that straightforward to bat on for the rest of the batters. India struggled to kick on after their batting powerplay and lost wickets whenever they tried to force the pace. But Kapp just seemed at ease while doing so. She has seen it all on the big stage, and has had more than her share of heartbreaks. This will be such a relief. As for India, they now have to beat Australia in order to have a chance to qualify unless South Africa slip up in their remaining matches. This defeat comes as a big blow to them and Harman seemed shell-shocked there at the end. The Group of Death absolutely living up to its hype. That's all we have for now. Until next time, this is Sagar Chawla signing off on behalf of Siva and Raju Peethala. Goodbye!

Wolvaardt (2/2): [On the bowling effort that restricted India] Yeah, that was huge. I think after that power play, they got 50-odd. It looked like they were absolutely flying. I think the way that they started, the first two overs, they pretty much smashed. So to be able to come back like that, I think our bowlers in the middle were excellent. The spinners all changed up pretty well. And I think we just didn’t leave the stumps and didn’t give them much to work with. And were able to keep their big hitters quiet at the end there, which was pretty big too. So I think if you told us 160, we definitely would have taken it pre-match. But yeah, happy we got over the line. [On what the win means for South Africa’s campaign] Yeah, it’s huge. I think if we lose this game, we’re almost out of the competition. So just to be able to stay in it, we’ve got two more big games and a couple of other things could still go wrong. But I think just knowing that we’ve got this one behind us was probably one of the big games leading into this tournament for us.

Laura Wolvaardt | South African skipper: [On avenging the 50-over World Cup final defeat to India] What a finish. What a game. I think we were very stressed up on the bench there. I think to win from the position that we were in was absolutely incredible, and it’s probably one of the best knocks I’ve seen under so much pressure. And to do it against a side that we lost the final to as well is pretty special. [On Marizanne Kapp’s match-winning innings and her qualities as a competitor] I think she’s probably the biggest big match player that I’ve ever seen. I’m really glad she’s on my team. It seems like whenever there’s something on the line or we’re playing a World Cup, she finds a way to bring out her best cricket. Actually, I think she wasn’t actually feeling that great today, but I hope she doesn’t feel great every day if she’s going to play like this. It was absolutely incredible. I think she’s two players in one. The way that she bowled as well was awesome. The way that she bowled in the previous game and now to play a knock like this is incredible. She just has that competitive nature, I guess, and it just brings out the best in her. [On tackling spin after a difficult start to the chase] Yeah, didn’t get off to the best start. I think we would have liked to get ahead of it a bit early. But yeah, I think in a game like this, we actually wanted to get ahead of the rate early because we knew the slow spin would be difficult later. It’s a bit too much to do for the back end, but it took something special to get it done, thankfully. But I think we can definitely be a bit better, just even if it’s not there in the power play, just getting off strike.

Harmanpreet Kaur | Indian skipper: [On the disappointment of the defeat] I think we got a couple of chances in between, but unfortunately we weren’t able to take those chances. But I think still we have two matches to go, and this is the time to stay positive and think about those matches. [On defending the target with the spin attack] I think Shree Charani and Shafali bowled really well. They were creating challenges, but unfortunately other bowlers didn’t support them. [On the missed chances in the field] I think we always talk about, you know, 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. [On lifting the team for the remaining matches] Next match, I think still we have two, three more days, and we will sit and rethink what we have to do, and accordingly we will pick the eleven. [On Marizanne Kapp’s match-winning innings] She was brilliant today. She took the game away from us, but again I think she gave us two crucial chances, but unfortunately we didn’t take that. But I think at this level when you miss those chances, nobody’s going to, you know, give you anything easily. And I think those were the crucial moments and they took the game away from us. [On using the spinners extensively in the chase] If you’re bowling, you know, a ball was a little bit turning. If you use your fingers really well, then I think Shafali and Shree Charani did really well. And other spinners need to think about, like, how we have to bowl, especially on these kind of wickets. [On reaching 200 T20 internationals and the growth of women’s cricket] A lot of learning, a lot of, you know, positive moments, a lot of these kind of moments where you have to stay strong and stay positive and keep thinking about the game. This is what game has taught me. And I think this is, now this is the time to stay positive and keep thinking what, you need to do in the upcoming games. And I think this is the time for me to talk to my teammates, give them strength, give them positive talks. And hopefully we will come up as a group really well in the next two games.

Stats by Roshan Gede

Marizanne Kapp’s 81*
>> Third-highest individual score for SA-W in T20 WC, after 101 by Lizelle Lee vs THA-W (Canberra, 2020) and 90* by Dane van Niekerk vs PAK-W (Sylhet, 2014).
>> Second-highest individual score in a Women’s T20 WC chase, after Shemaine Campbelle’s 90* vs NZ-W in Southampton last week.

Kapp’s four sixes is the most by a SA-W batter in a T20 WC innings, and the joint-most in a T20 WC run-chase, alongside as many for Deandra Dottin against ENG-W at Gros Islet in 2018.

SA run-chase
Overs 1-6: 25/2 at 4.16 RPO
Overs 7-15: 86/0 at 9.55 RPO
Overs 16-19.1: 50/2 at 12 RPO

Successful 150-plus chases in Women’s T20 WC
164 - ENG-W vs AUS-W, The Oval, 2009 SF
163 - WI-W vs NZ-W, Southampton, 2026
159 - SA-W vs IND-W, Old Trafford, 2026
151 - SL-W vs NZ-W, Southampton, 2026
150 - IND-W vs PAK-W, Cape Town, 2023
Previous highest for SA-W in T20 WC: 135 vs AUS-W in Dubai (2024 semis)

>> This was the 10th successful 150-plus chase for SA-W in T20Is, the most by a team in the format, bettering nine for Australia. Four out of those 10 for SA-W have come in 2026.

>> Heading into this game, India Women had won 10 of the 11 matches while batting first in the T20 WC since 2018, the only defeat coming to England Women in the 2018 semis at North Sound.

>> Four of South Africa's 10 successful 150-plus chases in Women's T20Is have come against India, including their highest: 193 at The Wanderers, Johannesburg earlier this year.

>> The 97-run stand between Tazmin Brits & Marizanne Kapp is the second-highest for third wicket or lower for SA-W in all T20Is, after 103 between Mignon du Preez & Trisha Chetty against IRE-W (Solihull, 2014).

Double of 500 runs and 25 wickets in Women’s T20 WC
Stafanie Taylor (1088, 33)
Nat Sciver-Brunt (832, 26)
Sophie Devine (852, 29)
Deandra Dottin (802, 32)
Ellyse Perry (559, 42)
Marizanne Kapp (556, 37)

Most wickets for India Women in a T20 WC edition
10 - Poonam Yadav in 2020
10 - Shree Charani in 2026
9 - Diana David in 2010
8 - Poonam Yadav in 2014
8 - Poonam Yadav in 2018
8 - Radha Yadav in 2018
Shree Charani in T20 WC 2026: 10/64 in 12 overs (ER: 5.33)

Marizanne Kapp | Player of the Match: [On her immediate emotions after the win] First of all, thank you to Jesus Christ. That wasn’t me. It was a tough game. Playing India is always extremely tough and I’m very proud of the team for coming back this game the way we did. [On coming in during a difficult power play and her approach] I was just praying, to be honest. No, I seemed to do a little bit better when I’m in earlier. I struggled, really struggled those first 10, 15 balls and eventually got my timing and then I just put my head down and I felt like that partnership with Taz (Brits) set it up beautifully for us. [On building the partnership and managing a difficult chase] Yeah, look, we said it’s a tough place to bat, actually, because you can’t let it get away from you too far, but you can also not lose more wickets. So we just said, if we don’t let it get past 10 runs and over, we will definitely, we’ve got the big hitters back and that can clear the boundary. And we just put our heads down and as soon as we looked to be a bit more positive, it worked for us. [On South Africa’s bowling effort after India’s strong start] Yeah, we know they always do, especially this wicket it was a little bit flat with the ball. You’re always nervous when you come up against an Indian team. I mean, they’ve got some wonderful players, but I feel like the way we brought it back, that probably saved us today. [On handling the pressure of a must-win game in front of a largely Indian-supporting crowd] Again, just by praying. But I seem to like the Indian fans. It feels like they’re shouting my name, so I don’t mind the crowd too much.

17:56 Local Time, 16:56 GMT, 22:26 IST: South Africa are very much alive in the T20 World Cup with one of their great allrounders showing her class! Marizanne Kapp, what have you just done! An innings to remember from the 36-year-old after walking into a precarious situation and turning it around in great style. After taking a few balls to get in, she switched gears and was relentless in her strokeplay, unfurling the sweeps, the scoops, flicks and power-shots down the ground. It was a display that stunned India who seemed in control with the ball in the powerplay. How costly were those dropped catches from Radha Yadav at the long-on boundary? One of India's best fielders couldn't hold on to Kapp when it mattered and that's all the help she needed. Let's listen in to the presentations...

This was just the third instance of Shafali Verma bowling four overs in a T20 game (leagues or internationals); she’d previously done that against BAN-W in Sylhet during the 2022 Asia Cup and against UPW in Navi Mumbai in WPL 2026.

Just 18 needed off the final two overs and if Kapp hangs around, South Africa will cruise home