Marizanne Kapp produced a defining all-round display as South Africa Women beat India Women by six wickets in a heavyweight ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage clash at Old Trafford, taking a major step towards the semi-finals. After India chose to bat and posted 158, South Africa recovered from 25 for 2 inside the powerplay to complete the chase, with Kapp finishing unbeaten on 81 off 45 balls.
The result left Group 1 finely poised, with India and South Africa both on four points. India’s remaining matches are against Bangladesh and Australia, while South Africa still have Bangladesh and Netherlands to come.
India’s bright start fades as South Africa squeeze late
India’s innings began at a rapid pace, led by Shafali Verma’s early boundary-hitting. She got going when Kapp strayed onto her pads, then cashed in on Shabnim Ismail’s pace, before Smriti Mandhana joined in with a productive first over against Ismail. Mandhana continued to innovate, walking down the track to Kapp to hit through mid-on, but her attempt to ramp ended with her playing on.
India surged to 47 for 1 after four overs, with Shafali taking particular toll when Chloe Tryon was introduced, striking 14 runs off the first three balls of that over as South Africa searched for control.
The momentum shifted through a key moment of fortune for South Africa. Ismail, who had largely avoided the bouncer to Shafali, used it in her second over. Shafali appeared to pull out of the shot and fell over, and South Africa reviewed. Replays showed she had gloved the ball through to Sinalo Jafta, ending a threatening start.
From there, South Africa’s attack pulled India back sharply. Yastika Bhatia, selected ahead of Bharti Fulmali, was lbw to Ayabonga Khaka’s second ball, and Jemimah Rodrigues was caught off a leading edge by Nadine de Klerk. India slipped to 82 for 4 in the 11th over, and the innings never fully regained its early tempo.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma were left to rebuild and then accelerate. Harmanpreet struck a boundary against Tryon and the pair took 12 from a Nonkululeko Mlaba over, but Harmanpreet required treatment on the field and was out soon after, chopping on to Ismail’s wobble-seam delivery for 24.
South Africa’s discipline at the death proved decisive. They set a packed leg-side field, strangled Richa Ghosh with their lines, and forced Deepti into a tumbling sweep that was caught at short fine leg. Ghosh also found short fine leg, this time off Kapp’s slower ball in the last over. India managed just 36 runs off the bat in the last four overs, a finish that left them with 158 and a sense of a missed opportunity after the early surge.
Kapp was central to the squeeze, ending with 2 for 27 in four overs and finishing as South Africa’s most economical bowler.
Kapp and Brits flip the chase after South Africa slump to 25 for 2
India began the defence with similar early intensity. South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt struggled for fluency and, on 20 off 19 balls, tried to take on left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, only to hit straight back for a sharp return catch. Charani struck again in the same over when Annerie Dercksen went for a big shot almost immediately, played across the line and was bowled.
The powerplay ended with a wicket-maiden and South Africa were 25 for 2, well behind the required rate. Even after nine overs, they remained far off the pace at 45 for 2, needing a significant shift in momentum.
That shift came through Kapp’s experience and the determination of Tazmin Brits, playing her first match of the tournament. Kapp immediately changed the tempo against Prema Rawat, taking 10 runs off the first two balls of her first over, including a ramp that became a recurring scoring option. Brits initially bided her time before targeting Deepti, launching her over long-on for six.
Their third-wicket partnership grew steadily, reaching 50 in the 12th over. Brits survived a key moment when she was given out lbw on 28 but successfully reviewed. India also had chances to break the stand: Kapp offered two tough chances on 9 and 25, and later a simpler opportunity on 65, but she stayed in to shape the chase.
The defining over arrived in the 15th, when South Africa took 16 off Arundhati Reddy. Brits hit her back over her head for four, then Kapp followed with a scoop over fine leg and a sweep for back-to-back boundaries, a burst that effectively broke the chase open.
India’s main threat, Deepti, could not stem the flow: Kapp and Brits took 44 off her four overs. Kapp carried South Africa home with an unbeaten 81 off 45 balls, sealing a come-from-behind win and keeping South Africa’s semi-final push firmly on track.