India captain Harmanpreet Kaur is eyeing a major T20 record as India look for a consolatory win against South Africa in the fifth and final T20I of the series at the Willowmoore Park, Benoni. Kaur needs just 31 runs to become just the third player in T20I history to score 4000 runs.
The Indian skipper currently has scored 3969 runs in 173 T20I innings with 16 fifties and one century to her name. If Kaur scores these runs in the fifth and final T20I against the Proteas, she will become just the second Indian and third overall to reach the 4000-run milestone. Only Suzie Bates and Smriti Mandhana are ahead of her.
Most runs in Women T20Is:
1 - Suzie Bates: 4717 runs in 175 innings
2 - Smriti Mandhana: 4293 runs in 157 innings
3 - Hamranpreet Kaur: 3969 runs in 173 innings
4 - Chamari Athapaththu: 3637 runs in 151 innings
5 - Sophie Devine: 3587 runs in 147 innings
India asked to bowl first by South Africa
Coming to the match, the Women in Blue have been asked to bowl first after South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt won the toss. The visitors are going without their vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who is resting from the clash, after also being benched in the previous game, as India are giving game time to more players.
"We actually thought of bowling first because the last four games we have been batting. It's the last match and it's a good opportunity for us. The last game has been really, really good for us. We were spot on on our plans and we were very clear on the field. Hopefully, today again, we'll go with that clarity. I think we had a lot of discussions. We had a lot of thought behind the game and hopefully we'll execute well today. Today Smriti is resting. And apart from that, Kashvee is resting today, and Arundhati Reddy is back. Definitely, because last game we have nothing to lose now. Already lost the series, but it's only about, giving opportunity to all the players before the main event," India captain Kaur said at the toss.
South Africa Women (Playing XI): Laura Wolvaardt(c), Sune Luus, Tazmin Brits, Annerie Dercksen, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Nadine de Klerk, Sinalo Jafta(w), Eliz-mari Marx, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Anushka Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur
