FANTASY
Follow UsSouth Africa put up strong performances to win the ODI series 4-1 and they will be keen to carry that momentum on to the T20Is. Meanwhile, India will be playing their first T20I since the T20 World Cup final in March 2020 and they will look to put up an improved performance in the shortest format of the international game.
India have been dominant in past encounters between the two teams, winning seven and losing just twice against South Africa in T20Is. They’ve also won four of the last four matches between the sides.
T20I HEAD-TO-HEAD
Overall: Matches – 10 | India – 7 Wins | South Africa – 2 Wins | No Result – 1
Last 5 Matches: India – 4 Wins | South Africa – 1 Wins
SUGGESTED TEAMS
While you could go for the above team, you also have the option of choosing your own team from Cricket.com’s Fantasy Research Centre. Based on algorithms we come up with six different teams that could fetch crucial points.
GROUND DETAILS & TEAM COMBINATION
Just like the ODIs, all the T20Is during the tour will also be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. This will be the first women’s T20I to be played at the stadium, so there isn’t any past data to go by. In the ODI series, while the batters did well in the third and fourth ODIs, they weren’t at their best in the final match. So, it’ll be interesting to see how the wicket plays.
We’ve selected five batters (including one wicketkeeper), three all-rounders and three bowlers in our team. Do note that Harmanpreet Kaur has been ruled out of the contest due to injury.
CAPTAINCY SUGGESTION
Lizelle Lee was in incredible form during the recent ODI series, notching up three 50+ scores in four innings, and that is why we have selected her as the captain of our team. While she hasn’t been prolific in T20 cricket since the start of 2020, her recent form should give her much confidence going into this series.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Lee could score 11-34 runs in this match.
X-FACTORS
By her standards, Smriti Mandhana had a mediocre time in the middle during the ODI series. In five innings, she managed just one fifty and would have certainly expected to have fared better. In the ODIs, she was expected to be the attacking batter at the start of the innings, but with Shafali Verma at the other end in T20Is, she might be the one who looks to bat for a long period.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Mandhana could score 12-35 runs in this match.
Marizanne Kapp showed glimpses of her best during the last ODI, bowling a superb opening spell before scoring an unbeaten 36 to guide South Africa to victory. But what makes her a good pick for this match is the fact that she tends to bat at number three for the Proteas in T20Is. This is in addition to her almost always bowling four overs in T20 cricket.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Kapp could score 9-32 runs and could take 1-2 wickets in this match.
While India’s spinners didn’t have a great time during the ODI series, Rajeshwari Gayakwad bowled excellently in the final game, picking up three wickets. Based on her performances in the ODI series, you’d think she is key to India’s chances of doing well in the T20Is. She has a very good record in T20Is, having taken 35 wickets in 28 matches at a strike rate of 17.4.
Our Criclytics player projector predicts Gayakwad could take 0-1 wickets in this match.
