The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium here is all set to host its first women’s limited-over bilateral game in 17 years when India and South Africa spar in the last leg of the multi-format series starting Friday.
South Africa, runner-up in the previous edition held at home, comes into the series with a wonky T20I record. Both teams have played 17 T20Is in the last 12 months. While India has won 11, the Proteas have won just four.
All eyes will be on Marizanne Kapp, who is yet to bowl in this series against India due to a back issue. The ace all-rounder has been stingy with rolling her arm in the nets as well.
Ayabonga Khaka’s return after missing the one-off Test will offer the visitors relief, particularly in the PowerPlay.
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Chloe Tryon’s return from a back injury also boosts the Proteas. An explosive middle order bat and a handy left-arm spinner, Tryon will hope to make up for lost time in what is South Africa’s final international assignment before the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in October.
India comes into this series after a 5-0 thrashing of Bangladesh in their backyard, but keep in mind that Harmanpreet and Co. were up against an anaemic batting lineup.
With South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt (20, 122 in the Test, 61, 135* and 4 in the ODIs vs India) and Kapp (74,31 in the Test, 7, 114, 24 in ODIs) in red hot form, India will have its task cut out over three fixtures here.
Also crucial is how India’s in-form batters led by Smriti Mandhana (149 in the Test, 90, 136, 117 in ODIs) translate their longer format fluency to the tune of T20Is.
With an Asia Cup campaign in Sri Lanka coming right after, this will be perfect conditions for coach Amol Muzumdar to experiment with reason.
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While Chennai has traditionally been a spin haven, the edition of the IPL gone by and the recently concluded Test surprisingly had little for the tweakers.
Given that the venue has been strategically chosen keeping India’s World Cup preparation in mind, curators might look to veer away from the flat track the venue saw for the Test.
Teams:
India Women:
Harmanpreet Kaur (C) Smriti Mandhana (vc), Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana, Deepti Sharma, Asha Sobhana, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Shabnam Shakil, Pooja Vastrakar and Radha Yadav.
South Africa Women:
Laura Wolvaardt (C), Tazmin Brits, Mieke de Ridder (wk), Sinalo Jafta (wk), Anneke Bosch, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Marizanne Kapp, Sune Luus, Chloe Tryon, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Tumi Sekhukhune.
Source Agencies
