Written by Chetan Pandey
South Africa Women produced a brilliant all-round performance to defeat India Women by six wickets in a crucial ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Group A encounter at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester. The victory significantly strengthened South Africa's semifinal hopes, while India suffered their first defeat of the tournament.
After being asked to bat first, India Women posted a competitive total of 158/7 in their 20 overs. The Indian innings was built around an aggressive start from Shafali Verma, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the middle order contributed useful runs to guide the team to a respectable score. However, South Africa's disciplined bowling attack prevented India from reaching a total beyond 160.
In reply, South Africa overcame an early setback and produced one of the finest run chases in Women's T20 World Cup history. The star of the evening was veteran all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, whose magnificent unbeaten 81 runs transformed the contest. Kapp absorbed the early pressure before launching a calculated counterattack that took the game away from India. Her partnership with the middle order ensured South Africa remained firmly in control throughout the chase.
India's bowlers made a promising start, with Shree Charani removing key wickets in the powerplay, but they struggled to contain Kapp as the innings progressed. South Africa eventually reached the target with six wickets in hand and several balls to spare, completing a memorable victory.
The win was historic for South Africa, as it marked a record-breaking successful chase of a 150-plus target in the Women's T20 World Cup, surpassing previous tournament records. Kapp's match-winning knock will be remembered as one of the standout performances of the competition.
For India, the defeat serves as a reminder of the challenges that lie ahead in the race for the semifinals. Harmanpreet Kaur's side will now need strong performances in their remaining group-stage matches to secure qualification. South Africa, meanwhile, will take immense confidence from this result as they continue their campaign for a maiden Women's T20 World Cup title.
Player of the Match: Marizanne Kapp – 81* runs and a match-winning all-round display.
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