India secured a commanding 10-wicket victory in the final T20 International (T20I) against the Proteas Women, drawing the three-match series one-all at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.

Player of the Match, Pooja Vastrakar, achieved career-best figures of four for 13, helping dismiss South Africa for 84 in 17.1 overs. Indian openers Smriti Mandhana (54* off 40 balls; 8 fours, 2 sixes) and Shafali Verma (27*) chased the target within 10.5 overs to share the T20I series trophy with the visitors.

With the Proteas Women losing the toss and being asked to bat first, India made early inroads into the South African batting lineup. Laura Wolvaardt (9) and Marizanne Kapp (10) were sent back to the dugout during the powerplay by Shreyanka Patil (1/19) and Vastrakar, leaving the away side on 39/2 after six overs.

Despite the best efforts of the in-form Tazmin Brits (20) and Anneke Bosch (17), the Indian bowlers continued to take wickets at regular intervals, dismissing Brits, Bosch, and all-rounder Nadine de Klerk (0) to see South Africa reach the 11th over on 61/5.

Things then went from bad to worse for the tourists as Vastrakar and Radha Yadav (3/6) led the charge with the ball, helping to take the remaining five Proteas wickets for just 23 runs, skittling South Africa out for 84 in the 18th over.

Arundhati Reddy (1/14) and Deepti Sharma (1/21) were the other wicket-takers for the home side, completing an assertive bowling performance.

Set with a target of 85 runs for victory, top-order batters Mandhana and Verma approached their chase in fine fashion, racing to 40/0 in the powerplay despite disciplined bowling from Kapp (0/3) and Chloé Tryon (0/8).

Shortly after bringing up their 50-run stand in the seventh over, the experienced pair showed no signs of slowing down. They reached the drinks break in the driving seat at 74/0 before Mandhana celebrated her 24th T20I half-century and the winning runs in the very next over, sealing a drawn series.

Following her eight wickets across the three T20I encounters, Vastrakar was named the Player of the Series, surpassing South Africa’s Brits, who finished the series with 153 runs at an average of 51, having recorded two fifties in the opening two matches.