Durban, April 19 (IANS) A sensational half-century by opener Shafali Verma in her 100th T20I game was offset by a dramatic batting collapse as India were bundled out for a modest 147 in exactly 20 overs against South Africa in the second T20I at the Kingsmead on Sunday.

From a position of relative comfort at 99/3, India lost their last seven wickets for just 33 runs to end at a below-par total. Their batting implosion handed the momentum back to the Proteas, who now require 148 runs to win and take a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Shafali hit 57 off 38 balls and was sensational in hitting seven fours and two sixes and be the lone bright spot in an otherwise disappointing batting display. The middle order minus debutant Anushka Sharma, who struggled to hit 28 on a slow pitch, never got going to boost India to a big total.

For South Africa, Tumi Sekhukhune and Chloe Tryon picked excellent three-fors, and used the slower balls and good length area to great effect. Shafali started with typical aggression, smoking Tumi Sekhukhune for a six in the very first over. Her Smriti Mandhana (12) looked fluent with three boundaries off Ayabonga Khaka, before falling to Chloe while attempting a sweep.

After Jemimah Rodrigues fell cheaply to Chloe, Anushka joined Shafali to steady the ship with a 53-run stand. However, Anushka struggled for rhythm on a slowing pitch, managing a sluggish 28 off 31 balls, even as Shafali, dropped on 28, got her 15th T20I fifty off 31 balls.

Once the partnership was broken in the 13th over when Anushka holed out to deep mid-wicket off Chloe, the floodgates opened for South Africa. Shafali followed shortly after, caught brilliantly by a diving Nadine de Klerk at long-off.

The middle and lower order offered little resistance against the disciplined South African attack. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (12) was run out due to a sharp piece of glovework by keeper Sinalo Jafta, while Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Shreyanka Patil perished in quick succession.

Some late boundaries from Sree Charani and Arundhati Reddy helped India cross the 140-mark before the latter was run out on the final ball to bring a disappointing batting effort from the visitors to an end

Brief Scores: India 147 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 57, Anushka Sharma 28; Chloe Tryon 3-22, Tumi Sekhukhune 3-31) against South Africa

–IANS

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