Mithali Raj scored her third half-century in four innings as India beat South Africa by 54 runs in the fifth Twenty20 International to clinch a historic double series win. After winning the One Day International series 2-1, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India won the T20I series 3-1, with the fourth match being rained out.
On Saturday at Newlands, India set the hosts a challenging target of 166 after a 98-run stand between the veteran and 17-year-old teenager Jemimah Rodrigues. In response, the Proteas were never really in with a chance after some tight bowling from India upfront. Pacers Shikha Pandey and Rumeli Dhar and spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad took three wickets each as India wrapped up the match with two overs left.
Raj, who is no stranger to breaking run-scoring records, was the Player of the Match and Series.
With the last three T20Is being telecast as part of double headers with men, India’s win was watched by a large audience all over India. #SAwvIndW was the top trend on Twitter as cricket fans and players celebrated India’s win.
Have a look at how the Twitterati celebrated India’s series win:
CHAMPIONS! #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/Bz2d9rK0sK
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2018
Three wickets each from Shikha Pandey, Rumeli Dhar and Rajeshwari Gayakwad help India seal a 3-1 T20I series win with a 54 run win over South Africa in Cape Town!#SAvIND scorecard ➡️ https://t.co/BmeyPlcuQK https://t.co/cpoLx32Pe6
— ICC (@ICC) February 24, 2018
Congratulations poured in
Many congratulations to @BCCIWomen on doing the double over South Africa. Winning 2-1 in ODI and 3-1 in T20. Well done girls ! #SAWvINDW pic.twitter.com/qckF5XEE8i
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 24, 2018
Congratulations girls @BCCIWomen , great team work 🤙🏽🤩 #topclass #waytogo #proudofyouall 🎊🇮🇳
— Sushma Verma (@ImSushVerma) February 24, 2018
Congratulations @BCCIWomen on beating South Africa By 54 Runs and winning the 5 Match T20I Series 3-1. Proud of the Women In Blue. #SAWvINDW pic.twitter.com/RRzgEJ5awZ
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 24, 2018
Way to go Girls. Well done @BCCIWomen on winning the fifth and final #T20I and clinching the series 3-1.
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 24, 2018
BIG CONGRATULATIONS!!#SAWvINDW pic.twitter.com/6nJ7DUIKNJ
Series win in both ODI and T20i for Indian Women. Hope this leads to bigger and better things....and to more cricket for the girls. #INDWvSAW
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2018
Player efforts were applauded
Applaud Rumeli Dhar, fans.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) February 24, 2018
Former Indian captain, outstanding all-rounder, almost forgotten by all and sundry for long, toils in domestic cricket, returns after over six years despite the tendency to go for young blood and takes off.
What a champion.#INDWvSAW #SAWvsINDW
This series win, in both odis and T20 games should give such a big boost to women's cricket. Hope a young girl was inspired today
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2018
Waited waited and waited then jumped on time to take the wonder full boundary catch by Indian women cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues..
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) February 24, 2018
Amazing how Mithali Raj has reinvented her game for the T20s. Joy watching her bat with such freedom.
— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) February 24, 2018
The big numbers
Extraordinary series comes to an end.
— hypocaust (@_hypocaust) February 24, 2018
More than doubled the record for most sixes in bilateral series.
2nd highest run rate for T20I series of 2+ games:
7.87 rpo 2017 Ashes
7.68 rpo 2018 #SAvIND
7.48 rpo 2016 SAvENG
India's upcoming fixtures v ENG & AUS could be very special.
Most runs in a bilateral T20I series in Women's Cricket:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 24, 2018
220 runs - Beth Mooney v ENG, 2017
200 runs - Sarah Taylor v SA, 2016
192 runs - MITHALI RAJ v SA, This series
184 runs - Sara McGlashan v AUS, 2010/11#SAWvINDW
Mithali Raj ODI debut: 26 June 1999
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) February 24, 2018
Jemimah Rodrigues born: 5 September 2000
Today they put on 98 in 11.3 overs for 2nd wkt at Cape Town!#SAvInd
16 Test innings
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) February 24, 2018
170 ODI innings
65 T20I innings
But this is the first time MITHALI RAJ hit more than two SIXES in an International inning. #SAWvINDW
View from the ground
Well done, India! Excellent all round performance! Hard luck, SA... Enjoyed bringing you live ball by ball commentary on @Radio2000ZA #INDWvSAW pic.twitter.com/kHemRL8gaW
— Kass Naidoo (@KassNaidoo) February 24, 2018
Harmanpreet credits improved fitness levels for the success the team has been having of late #SAWvINDW pic.twitter.com/gMEjt2PYwp
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) February 24, 2018