South Africa chose to bat first against India in the fifth and final Women’s T20I at Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday, with captain Laura Wolvaardt making it five toss wins out of five in the series. The match came with the series already decided: South Africa led 3-1 after sealing it in the third game, before India hit back in the fourth.
That little toss streak was a neat subplot, but the bigger story sat behind it. South Africa had already done the heavy lifting earlier in the week, wrapping up the series with a nine-wicket win in the third T20I after chasing 193 with startling ease. Wolvaardt led that charge with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, an innings that underlined just how settled and dangerous this side looks a little over a month out from the T20 World Cup.
India, though, didn’t leave quietly. In the fourth T20I, they finally found a way to close out a game, defending 185 for 5 to win by 14 runs. Deepti Sharma was at the center of it, finishing with 36 not out and a maiden T20I five-wicket haul of 5 for 19, while Jemimah Rodrigues added a brisk 43. That result didn’t change the destination of the series, but it did prevent a clean sweep and gave India something solid to carry into the finale.
For South Africa, this series has been about more than just beating India. ESPNcricinfo noted after the third match that the hosts had now won all three of their home series this season, a useful body of work as they build toward June’s T20 World Cup. There’s been variety in the wins too, which matters: a dominant chase in one game, control with the ball in others, and a batting group that has looked increasingly confident under pressure.
So the decision to bat first in Benoni felt pretty on brand. South Africa have looked comfortable setting up games on their own terms, and with the series already theirs, there was room to test that authority one more time. India, on the other hand, entered the match trying to end the tour with a bit of momentum and a reminder that the gap in the scoreline wasn’t always the full story.
By the time play got underway, the scorecard showed South Africa moving along at 47 without loss after six overs, an early sign that the hosts intended to press their advantage rather than merely coast through the last game of a winning series.
