Kapp Smashes Stunning Unbeaten 81 As SA Women Defeats Ind Women In World Cup Thriller

South Africa kept their semi-final hopes alive in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. SA women defeats Ind women by six wickets victory at Old Trafford. Chasing 159, the Proteas rode on a masterful, unbeaten 81 from marquee all-rounder Marizanne Kapp to hand India their first defeat of the tournament.

Proteas Masterclass Bowls Over India

Earlier in the day, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat first on a historic afternoon that marked her 200th T20 International appearance. India’s opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided a flying start, blasting 59 runs during a blistering powerplay. Verma top-scored with a quick-fire 31 off 15 balls, while Mandhana chipped in with 17 before being clean-bowled attempting a scoop off Kapp.

Once the initial onslaught subsided, South Africa's veteran bowling unit clawed back into the game. Ayabonga Khaka trapped Yastika Bhatia leg-before-wicket for 15, while Nadine de Klerk accounted for Jemimah Rodrigues with a sharp caught-and-bowled dismissal. Fast-bowling stalwart Shabnim Ismail then delivered a decisive blow by dismissing Kaur for 24. Despite a resilient 29 from Deepti Sharma, South Africa restricted India to 158/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Kapp and Ismail finished with two wickets apiece.

Kapp Steals the Ind-W vs SA-W Show Completely

In this Ind-W vs SA-W match, proteas' run chase began with a stutter as Indian spinner Sree Charani turned the match on its head early on. In a dream over, Charani picked up two wickets in three balls, dismissing skipper Laura Wolvaardt for 20 and removing Annerie Dercksen for a duck. Reeling at a precarious position early in the innings, South Africa needed inspiration, and they found it in the experienced pair of Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp.

The duo anchored the innings beautifully, putting together a vital 97-run partnership for the third wicket. Brits played an exceptional supporting role, striking a solid 40 off 36 balls before she fell to Shafali Verma. However, Kapp remained completely unbothered by the pressure. She unleashed an absolute masterclass of power hitting, smashing four towering sixes and seven boundaries in her unbeaten 81-run knock off just 45 deliveries.

As the game headed into the final over, Chloe Tryon hit a thick edge that raced to the boundary for four, sealing the match with five balls to spare. South Africa finished at 161/4, successfully tracking down a 150+ target with ease.

This memorable victory means South Africa remains firmly in the hunt for a top-two finish in Group A. Meanwhile, a deflated Indian side will need to fix their fielding lapses and regroup ahead of their final group stage matches.