Kapp’s blistering 81 powers South Africa past India in Women's T20 World Cup

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MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Marizanne Kapp's 45-ball 81 blew away India by six wickets and kept alive South African semifinal hopes in a Women's Twenty20 World Cup thriller at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Both teams are in the same group as unbeaten Australia and only two will advance. South Africa has already lost to Australia while India's hopes of following its ODI world championship last November with a first T20 world title will be decided against Australia next Sunday at sold-out Lord's.

South Africa reined back India to 158-7 but made a slow start of 45-2 after nine overs and the run rate required over 10.

Kapp and opening batter Tazmin Brits, playing her first T20 World Cup match since the 2024 final, brought up 50 together and rode some luck.

Brits overturned being given out lbw on 28 and Kapp was dropped the first time on 25.

Kapp hit 50 off 34 balls and the run rate required dropped below 10 with five overs to go.

Shafali Verma broke their partnership of 97 in her eventful last bowling over, the 17th. Verma dismissed Brits for 40 off 36, was hit for six back over her head by Kapp, and saw Kapp dropped next ball on 65 at long-on. Verma bowled out with a sterling 1-22.

In the 19th, Kapp hit two sixes against Deepti Sharma in a 16-run over, and Chloe Tryon hit the winning boundary with five balls remaining.

“I was just praying to be honest,” Kapp said. “I do well if I am in earlier. I struggled in the first few balls. The partnership with Taz set us up beautifully.”

Kapp also bowled beautifully with 2-27, including the wicket of Smriti Mandhana in India's second over.

Verma, the first India woman to open the batting and bowling in a T20 World Cup, greeted Tryon with 4, 4 and 6 over long-off. Verma gloved behind off Shabnim Ismail on 31 in a strong powerplay of 59-2.

India was scoring at eight per over after 14 and looked like making 160-170. But South Africa's bowlers squeezed, notably Ismail, Kapp and Ayabonga Khaka.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, the first man or woman to play 200 T20 internationals, was out for 24 off 22.

“Marizanne Kapp was fearless and she took the game away from us,” Kaur said. “We have two matches to go and we need to stay positive.”

The West Indies set up a showdown of unbeaten sides with England after laboring past Sri Lanka by five wickets in Bristol.

Sri Lanka was bowled out for 98 and the West Indies overhauled it in the 17th over on a spilled catch at midwicket.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews won the toss, chose to bowl first on a spinners' pitch, and removed the openers and Harshitha Samarawickrama in her first two overs. At the end of the powerplay, Sri Lanka was 23-4.

Nilakshika Silva led Sri Lanka with 30, but when she was gone they went six overs without a boundary and suffered two run outs and a stumping.

In the chase, Deandra Dottin should have been run out in the first over. Matthews ran herself out on 17 and Dottin exited on 12 in a powerplay of 36-2. The West Indies was reduced to 70-5 in the 12th over but Stafanie Taylor carried them home with 27 not out.

Sri Lanka compromised its cause by bowling wides, dropping catches, poor glovework and relays — the 23 extras were the second highest score on the West Indies board.

The West Indies and England are three for three and meet on Wednesday at Lord's.

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