India successfully defended their the International Cricket Council, U19 Women’s T20 World Cup title with a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africa at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Gongadi Trisha, the tournament’s highest run-scorer, played a pivotal role in the win, excelling with both bat and ball.
Trisha’s stellar bowling performance of 3/15 helped India restrict South Africa to a modest 82 runs.
She then spearheaded the chase with an unbeaten 44, ensuring India’s emphatic triumph and a second consecutive title.
India’s Bowlers Dominate South Africa
In a highly anticipated showdown between the competition’s two unbeaten teams, South Africa opted to bat first after winning the toss.
Jemma Botha, who had been instrumental in their semi-final win over Australia, was expected to be a key figure in their innings.
She started positively, striking back-to-back boundaries in the opening over. However, India responded swiftly, with Parunika Sisodia cleaning up Simone Lourens in the second over with a delivery that sharply cut back into the stumps.
The game’s turning point came in the fourth over when Botha, attempting an aggressive shot off Shabnam Shakil, edged the ball. Wicketkeeper Kamalini G pulled off a sensational one-handed diving catch, leaving Botha in disbelief.
India capitalized on that breakthrough as Aayushi Shukla dismissed Diara Ramlakan immediately after, and South Africa struggled to build momentum.
Their scoring rate plummeted, managing only 13 runs between the fourth and 10th overs as India’s spinners dictated play.
Skipper Kayla Reyneke and keeper-batter Karabo Meso tried to stabilize the innings but fell in quick succession while attempting to accelerate. Mieke van Voorst injected some late energy with a brisk 23 off 18 balls, but her dismissal, stumped off Trisha’s flighted delivery, triggered another collapse.
Trisha’s 3/15 led the attack, while Sisodia (2/6), Shukla (2/9), and tournament-leading wicket-taker Vaishnavi Sharma (2/23) contributed effectively, bundling out South Africa for 82.
Trisha Leads India’s Charge to Victory
With only 83 runs needed for victory, South Africa had to produce a near-perfect bowling display. They came close to a breakthrough in the first over when Nthabiseng Nini found Trisha’s edge, but the ball evaded wicketkeeper Meso’s reach and raced away for four.
Trisha had another close call in the second over when a lofted cover drive narrowly missed the fielder’s grasp before she capitalized by smashing another boundary.
She then shifted gears, striking three fours in the fourth over while maintaining a blistering strike rate close to her tournament average of 149.7.
South Africa managed a solitary breakthrough when Kamalini (8) was caught in the deep by a brilliant effort from Lourens.
However, Trisha remained unfazed, peppering the boundary ropes with eight fours. Her single in the ninth over made her the first player to surpass 300 runs in a single edition of the tournament.
Sanika Chalke provided solid support with an unbeaten 26, hitting four boundaries, including the winning shot in the 12th over—a four to square leg that sparked jubilant celebrations in the Indian camp.
Match Summary
South Africa vs India – Bayuemas Oval, Kuala Lumpur
South Africa: 82 all out in 20 overs (Mieke van Voorst 23, Jemma Botha 16; Gongadi Trisha 3/15, Parunika Sisodia 2/6)
India: 84/1 in 11.2 overs (Gongadi Trisha 44*, Sanika Chalke 26*; Kayla Reyneke 1/14)
Result: India won by nine wickets.
