Jemimah Rodrigues walked off SuperSport Park on Friday afternoon knowing India had left runs on the table. Her dismissal in the 15th over, with the innings gathering pace, proved decisive as South Africa chased 158 with five balls in hand to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match T20I series.
“We were around 15-20 runs short. With the kind of start we got – Shafali [Verma, who scored 34 from 20] – the way she batted was great. Then two wickets falling in two overs…,” Rodrigues reflected afterwards. “But then Harman and I getting that partnership back. I think when we had built that momentum and removed the difficult part of it, when time came to capitalise, we were not able to capitalise.”
The raw numbers back her up. India were 74 for 2 at the halfway stage, a platform that usually points towards 175 on this surface. Rodrigues (42 off 33) and Harmanpreet Kaur stitched 71 in 51 balls, moving fluently into the gaps. Yet once Rodrigues sliced Tumi Sekhukhune to backward point, India managed only 38 from the final 32 deliveries. Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 47 kept them competitive but the lower order could not find the extra gear.
“It was just that when the time came for us to capitalise, I got out, I fell on the wrong time,” Rodrigues admitted. “Because for set batters, it’s easier to bat through and take it deep. So, in the next match, I will come back and take that responsibility again.”
South Africa’s pursuit was steady rather than spectacular. Laura Wolvaardt paced the reply and, although Shreyanka Patil and debutant N Shree Charani found purchase with their off-spin, the hosts timed the chase neatly. “Our bowlers did really well to get it to the last over. Like Shreyanka bowled really well. [N] Shree Charani bowled really well. A little more better execution and I think we are going to come back stronger in the next game,” Rodrigues said.
Conditions played their part. An afternoon pitch holding a fraction removed some of the usual Centurion pace, particularly in the first innings. Rodrigues expects similar surfaces for Sunday’s day match, a factor she believes removes much of the dependency on the toss. “We know that this pitch might have slight turn and slight hold. And I feel in the daytime, it’s also going to play the same in both the innings,” she added.
Bigger picture, India have twelve T20Is before the World Cup in England and Wales in June-July. They remain ODI champions but have dropped four of their last nine games against Australia, England and South Africa. The record reads 10-4 over the past year, inflated by a 5-0 sweep of Sri Lanka last December. Rodrigues sees the current tour as vital rehearsal, especially for an engine room still short on minutes.
“Coming to the World Cup, we have batting till the end, a lot of all-rounders,” she noted. “But also, the all-rounders coming later have not got so much match time and experience. So, I think playing here in South Africa is going to be really great for us as a preparation also for the World Cup and for our entire batting order too.”
For now, India will focus on small margins: sharper death overs, an extra boundary option in the closing stages, tidier yorkers first up. Win on Sunday and the series is level, the narrative shifts, and Rodrigues’ regret turns quickly into momentum.
The next instalment starts in 48 hours.
