SA-W vs IND-W T20 2026: Deepti Sharma’s all-round brilliance helps India beat South Africa in fourth match

The Indian women’s cricket team, propelled by Deepti Sharma’s all-round contributions, registered its first win of the SA-W vs IND-W T20 2026 series after beating the Proteas by 14 runs at the Wanderers Stadium on Saturday.

Put in to bat, India posted a competitive 185/5 in Johannesburg with Jemimah Rodrigues (43 off 29), Deepti Sharma (36* off 26) and Richa Ghosh (34* off 18) pitching in with the bat.

Eliz-Mari Marx (2/28 in four overs) and Kayla Reyneke (2/10 in two overs) were the pick of the bowlers for the home side.

Sune Luus, with a brisk 40 off 24, gave South Africa a good start but the Indian cricket team rode on Deepti Sharma’s maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is to restrict South Africa to 171/9.

Deepti Sharma finished with figures of 5/19. It was only the fourth fifer in WT20Is by an Indian bowler and first since Renuka Singh’s 5/15 against England in 2023.

India lost Shafali Verma early, but Anushka Sharma (27 off 18) and Rodrigues ensured momentum through the powerplay. Smriti Mandhana was rested for the match.

Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur also chipped in with 22, but it was the late surge from Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh that lifted India past 180. The duo added an unbeaten 65-run stand in 38 balls for the sixth wicket.

In response, South Africa began aggressively, with Laura Wolvaardt and Luus finding regular boundaries. Kranti Gaud removed Wolvaardt in the fourth over, but Luus counter-attacked and was well supported by Tazmin Brits (30), taking the hosts to 72/1 in eight overs.

India gradually regained control in the middle overs with Deepti Sharma picking up regular wickets, including one of Luus, whose dismissal left South Africa at 76/2.

In the 11th over, Annerie Dercksen charged Deepti Sharma down the pitch but was beaten by a cleverly held-back delivery that stayed low and disturbed the stumps, reducing South Africa to 94/3.

Deepti continued to chip away and when Reyneke holed out attempting to force the pace, South Africa slipped to 123/5.

The off-spinner then wrapped up the lower order. Ayabonga Khaka was trapped LBW a skidding offbreak, before Deepti completed her five-for by drawing Tumi Sekhukhune forward and beating her in the air, with Richa Ghosh effecting a sharp stumping.

With the wicket, Richa Ghosh registered her 69th dismissal to set a new record for the most dismissals by an Indian wicketkeeper in WT20Is, surpassing Taniya Bhatia’s tally of 68.

The final fixture of the India vs South Africa women’s T20 series will be played on Monday at Willowmoor Park in Benoni. South Africa had won the first three WT20Is and lead the five-match series 3-1.

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