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Shweta Sehrawat's unbeaten 92-run knock and skipper Shafali Verma's blitz helped India outclass hosts South Africa on the opening day of inaugural Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup 2023 with a seven-wicket win at Willowmoore Park, Benoni.
Chasing 167, India got off to an ideal start with both openers Shweta and Shafali firing during fielding restrictions. Shafali went berserk in the sixth over and hit Ntabiseng Nini for five consecutive fours followed by one six. However, Shafali missed her half-century as Miane Smit got her wicket in the eighth over. The opener scored 45 runs from 16 deliveries including nine fours and one six.
Gongadi Trisha walked out with an attacking intent as well and scored 15 runs from 11 deliveries before getting stumped in the 11th over off Seshnie Naidu's bowling. Sehrawat got to her half-century with consecutive boundaries. Soumya Tiwari did not take many risks and let Shweta hit boundary after boundary. In the 17th over on the doorstep of victory, Soumya lost her wicket. She scored 10 runs from 14 deliveries including one boundary.
Shweta finished the match with another boundary in the 17th over. She hit as many as 20 fours in her unbeaten 57-ball 92 to help India win with 21 balls to spare in the Group D clash.
Earlier, Oluhle Siyo won the toss and opted to field first. Sri Lankan openers stunned India in the powerplay overs. Shabnam MD was hit for 20 runs in the first over. In the fourth over, Sonam Yadav broke the partnership with the wicket of Elandri Rensburg who scored 23 runs from 13 balls in the 56-run partnership. In the next over, Shafali got skipper Oluhle for a golden duck. After the powerplay overs, South Africa were 64/2 with opener Simone Lourens doing bulk of scoring.
Indian bowlers made a terrific comeback in the middle overs as not a single boundary was hit in the next six overs. Kayla Reyneke played too many dot balls. Her troubled stay at the crease was ended by Shafali in the 13th over. Kayla scored 11 runs from 26 deliveries. Meanwhile, Simone got to her half-century from 34 deliveries.
The arrival of Madison Landsman boosted the scoring rate again. Madison hit Soumya for four fours in the 15th over. In the 17th over, Simone got run out. She scored 61 runs from 44 deliveries including nine fours and one six. In the next over, Madison's cameo was ended by Parshavi Chopra as she trapped her in front of the wickets. Madison scored a quickfire 32 off 17 deliveries including five fours and one six. In the death overs, Miane (9-ball 16) and Karabo Meso's (11-ball 19) cameos helped South Africa post a fighting total of 166/5 on the board.
