Kapp and Brits put on 97 for the third wicket but their time together was not without its chances. Kapp offered two tough chances, on 9 and 25, and one simple one on 65 but finished on an unbeaten 81 off 45 balls to take South Africa home. They also nullified India’s primary threat with the ball, Deepti Sharma, taking 44 runs off her four overs.

India off to a rollicking start with bat

In typically audacious fashion, Shafali got India’s boundary-count underway with a clip through short fine leg as Kapp strayed onto the pads. But it was when she got extra pace from Shabnim Ismail that Shafali really cashed in. She found the gap at cover point before handing over to Smriti Mandhana, who drove Ismail through the covers and then swivel-pulled her through fine leg to take 14 runs off her first over. Mandhana’s innovation continued when she walked down the track to Kapp to hit her through mid-on and then tried to ramp Kapp but played on. Inexplicably, Chloe Tryon was give the fourth over and Shafali was all over her. She took14 runs off the first three balls, used her feet well and South Africa seemed at a loss. India were 47 for 1 after four overs.

South Africa get a surprise wicket and pull India back

Just when it seemed Shafali had got away from them, South Africa hit a stroke of luck. Ismail had avoided bowling the bouncer to her but did with the fourth ball of her second over. Shafali considered going after it but then tried to pull out of the shot and fell over. As she refound her feet, South Africa reviewed and replays showed Shafali had gloved the ball through to Sinalo Jafta. Yastika Bhatia, picked ahead of Bharti Fulmali, was out lbw to Ayabonga Khaka’s second ball and Jemimah Rodrigues caught off a leading edge by Nadine de Klerk to leave India 82 for 4 in the 11th over.

It was now down to the experienced hands of Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti and the India captain started with a boundary against Tryon. Together they then took on Mlaba for a 12-run over before Harmanpreet required some treatment on the field. She lasted just two balls after that before chopping on against Ismail’s wobble-seam delivery for 24. South Africa strangled Richa Ghosh with their lines and forced Deepti to play a tumbling sweep for a catch to short fine leg with a packed leg-side field. Ghosh also handed a catch to short fine leg, off Kapp’s slower one in the last over, and India managed just 36 runs off the bat in the last four overs.

India also off to a rollicking start with ball

Kapp and Brits turn it on

South Africa were far off the pace on 45 for 2 after nine overs but had the experience of Kapp and determination of a returning Brits. Kapp took 10 runs off the first two balls of Prema Rawat’s first over, including the ramp that would become a favourite of hers through the innings. Brits bided some time before she took on Deepti and whacked her over long-on for six. Their stand grew to 50 in the 12th over, just after Brits correctly reviewed after being given out lbw on 28. Neither Brits nor Kapp allowed the chances they offered India to slow them down, even when they could not find boundaries.

Their headline moment came in the 15th over when they took 16 runs off Arundhati Reddy. Brits hit her back over her head for four, then Kapp scooped her over fine and swept her for back to back boundaries and South Africa had broken the back of the chase.