Pooja Vastrakar’s magnificent bowling helped India propel against South Africa in the third T20I and levelled the three-match series 1-1 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Tuesday.
Pooja took four wickets for 13 as India skittled out South Africa for 84 runs in 10.5 overs. India won the match by 10 wickets and drew the series, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma hitting an 88-run partnership for the opening wicket.
Earlier, India won the ODI and one-off Test series against South Africa.
Pooja finished the T20I series with eight wickets and won the Player of the Series award.
Hailing Pooja, India opener and vice-captain Mandhana said, “In the first two matches, the wickets were flat, and for her to come with such figures is amazing. We hope she keeps doing the same things and will be crucial for us in the World Cup.”
“She is brilliant with the ball. It’s been a long series for all of us, and being a bowler, I wonder how has she done that (carried on without getting tired)?”
Mandhana also recalled Vastrakar’s performance in the five-match T20I series in Bangladesh in April-May, where she claimed five wickets — the joint second-highest number of scalps.
“Even during the Bangladesh T20I series, the way she bowled, especially during the death overs, I struggled to see the ball when she was running in so quickly,” added Mandhana.
“We knew she had made a difference about how she has been bowling in the last few months. Coming into the series, we were confident of her.”
