Marizanne Kapp’s Unbeaten 81 Powers South Africa to Thrilling Six-Wicket Win Over India

Manchester, June 2026 : Marizanne Kapp delivered a masterclass under pressure, smashing an unbeaten 81 off just 45 balls to guide South Africa to a dramatic six-wicket victory over India in a crucial Group A clash of the Women’s T20 World Cup at Old Trafford on Sunday. Chasing 159 for victory, South Africa reached 161/4 in 19.1 overs, handing India their first defeat of the tournament and keeping their own semifinal hopes alive.

In front of a crowd of 11,712 spectators, the South African chase appeared to be in serious trouble early on. India’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding reduced the Proteas to 25/2 at the end of the powerplay, placing the pressure firmly on the batting side. However, Kapp rose to the occasion with one of the finest innings in Women’s T20 World Cup history, combining composure with aggression to turn the match in South Africa’s favour.

Kapp’s match-winning knock featured seven boundaries and four towering sixes. She found valuable support from Tazmin Brits, who scored a steady 40 runs, as the pair stitched together a crucial 97-run partnership that rescued South Africa from a difficult position and laid the foundation for the successful chase.

South Africa’s innings began cautiously against India’s spin attack. Laura Wolvaardt looked promising with a six and a couple of boundaries, but left-arm spinner Sree Charani struck twice in a sensational over to swing momentum towards India. Wolvaardt was deceived into offering a return catch, while Annerie Dercksen was bowled for a duck, leaving South Africa reeling at 25/2.

Brits and Kapp then began the rebuilding process. While Brits rotated the strike effectively and punished loose deliveries, Kapp initially struggled to find timing before gradually settling into her rhythm. She targeted debutant leg-spinner Prema Rawat, collecting boundaries and a fortunate six that escaped the fielders. As the partnership developed, both batters grew in confidence and began accelerating the scoring rate.

India missed key opportunities to dismiss Kapp. Substitute fielder Radha Yadav dropped the all-rounder twice, and those missed chances proved costly. Kapp capitalised fully, sweeping and driving with authority to bring up a superb half-century off just 34 deliveries.

Brits eventually departed for 40 after finding a fielder off Shafali Verma’s bowling, but Kapp continued to dominate. She found another ally in Chloe Tryon, who played an important supporting role as South Africa closed in on the target. Despite India’s efforts to fight back through Charani, who finished with impressive figures of 3/24, Kapp maintained control of the chase.

The experienced all-rounder produced some breathtaking strokes in the closing stages, including two massive sixes off Deepti Sharma that brought South Africa within touching distance of victory. With the target in sight, Chloe Tryon sealed the win by edging Nandni Sharma through the slips, sparking celebrations in the South African camp.

As the winning runs were scored, Kapp dropped to her knees in relief before embracing her teammates, reflecting the significance of the victory. The result keeps South Africa firmly in contention in the highly competitive “group of death” while dealing a setback to India’s campaign.

Earlier, India posted a competitive 158/7 in their 20 overs. Shafali Verma top-scored with 31, while Deepti Sharma contributed 29. For South Africa, Kapp also shone with the ball, claiming 2/27, while Shabnim Ismail picked up 2/28.

Brief Scores:
India: 158/7 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 31, Deepti Sharma 29; Marizanne Kapp 2/27, Shabnim Ismail 2/28)
South Africa: 161/4 in 19.1 overs (Marizanne Kapp 81* off 45, Tazmin Brits 40; Sree Charani 3/24, Shafali Verma 1/22)

Result: South Africa won by six wickets.

Team Maverick