NEW DELHI: India have successfully defended their ICC U-19 Womenโs T20 World Cup title, defeating South Africa in a commanding final at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Following a superb bowling display that restricted South Africa to just 83 runs, the Indian team made light work of the chase to seal their second consecutive championship.
The match began with India winning the toss and opting to bowl first, and it quickly became clear that the decision was the right one.
Indiaโs spinners, including Aayushi Shukla and Vaishnavi Sharma, put the pressure on South Africa from the start, with Shukla dismissing key players and leaving the South African top order in disarray. The Proteas struggled to build partnerships, as Indiaโs bowlers maintained tight control throughout.
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South Africaโs captain, Kayla Reyneke, and the hard-hitting Lara Botha attempted to salvage the innings, but their efforts were in vain. Trisha, Indiaโs star player, struck twice in quick succession, including a stunning stumping by Kamalini, which sent South Africa spiraling to 83 all-out in 19.5 overs.
Indiaโs chase got off to a solid start with openers Trisha and Kamalini showing their class. Trisha, who had been in sublime form throughout the tournament, once again proved her worth with aggressive boundaries.
India raced to 50/1 in the first six overs, and despite a brief hiccup with Trisha losing her wicket to Reyneke, the chase was never in doubt.
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Kamaliniโs steady hand guided India to victory, and the team secured the title with 6 wickets in hand and with 15 overs to spare.
Trisha was named Player of the Match for her all-round contribution, scoring 44 runs and taking 2 wickets in a comprehensive display.
Her performance capped off a stellar tournament in which she notched up 300 runs, propelling India to their second consecutive U-19 Womenโs T20 World Cup victory.
