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Shafali Verma starred for the Indian women's cricket team in the final T20I of the series against South Africa Women. Opening the innings for the team in a chase of 113 runs, Shafali smacked a 30-ball 60 to set up India's win.
The hosts won the dead rubber in Lucknow with nine wickets and nine overs to spare.
South Africa Women had won the first two T20Is by chasing India Women's targets. However, Smriti Mandhana invited the visitors to bat first in the final game at Lucknow.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad bowled a dream spell of 3/9 to restrict South Africa Women to 112/7 in 20 overs.
Shafali Verma then launched an all-out attack on South Africa Women. Smriti Mandhana supported her well to ensure India Women did not suffer a whitewash in the three-match series.
Brief Scores: South Africa Women 112/7 (Sune Luus 28, Lara Goodall 25*; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 3/9, Arundhatti Reddy 1/19) lost to India Women 114/1 (Shafali Verma 60, Smriti Mandhana 48*; Nondumiso Shangase 1/18, Anne Bosch 0/7) by nine wickets.
Smriti Mandhana called the toss right and elected to field in the third T20I. Rajeshwari Gayakwad provided an excellent start for the home team by dismissing openers Lizelle Lee and Anne Bosch in the powerplay.
Soon after, Radha Yadav rattled the stumps of Laura Woolvardt to reduce South Africa Women to 16/3 in 6.3 overs.
Skipper Sune Luus and middle-order batswoman Lara Goodall tried their best to get the team's score past 120. However, a disciplined bowling effort from the India Women kept South Africa Women's score below 115.
Apart from Gayakwad and Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Deepti Sharma and Simran Bahadur were successful in taking wickets in Lucknow.
The Shafali Verma show turned the game in India's favor
While South Africa Women could have given their opponents a run for their money by picking up some early wickets, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana did not give them a single chance.
Shafali Verma aggregated 60 runs from 30 balls, a knock that comprised seven fours and five sixes. Mandhana remained unbeaten until the end, missing out on her half-century by just two runs.
But she finished things off in style with a hat-trick of fours. Harleen Deol was out there in the middle when her captain completed the formalities.
Nondumiso Shangase was the lone South African bowler who could take a wicket in the final T20I.
