Jaise koi Bollywood film ka climax, jahan underdog team achanak hero ban jati hai. Hayley Matthews aur Afy Fletcher ne apne dum par West Indies ko 6-wicket se jeet dilayi aur series ko 1-1 se barabar kar diya. Lekin yeh jeet itni asaan nahi thi, aur South Africa ke batsmen ka “start ko century mein badalne ka sapna” ek baar phir toot gaya.
South Africa ne toss haar kar pehle batting ki, lekin unki innings kabhi speed nahi pakad payi. Laura Wolvaardt (16) aur Tazmin Brits (14) ne 30-run ki opening partnership di, lekin dono hi bade score nahi bana paye. Marizanne Kapp ka duck aur Nadine de Klerk (20) ka chhota sa contribution bhi kaam na aaya. Annerie Dercksen (21*) ne aakhir mein ek six lagaya, lekin 113/6 ka score T20 mein jaise kisi chhote shehar ke team ka target lag raha tha. Afy Fletcher (2/13) aur Karishma Ramharack (2/25) ne spin ka jaadu chala ke South Africa ko roka, jabki Matthews (1/15) ne bhi apna all-rounder ka jalwa dikhaya. Yaad hai 2023 T20 World Cup mein South Africa ka semi-final mein Australia ke khilaf struggle? Wahi kahani yahan bhi dikhayi di.
| Player | Role | Performance | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayley Matthews | Captain/All-rounder | 63* (56 balls), 1/15 (4 overs) | WI vs SA, 2nd T20I, 2025 |
| Afy Fletcher | Bowler | 2/13 (4 overs) | WI vs SA, 2nd T20I, 2025 |
| Annerie Dercksen | Batter | 21* (17 balls) | WI vs SA, 2nd T20I, 2025 |
| Tazmin Brits | Batter | 14 (21 balls) | WI vs SA, 2nd T20I, 2025 |
114 ka target chhota tha, lekin South Africa ke bowlers ne shuruaat mein West Indies ko thoda pareshan kiya. Qiana Joseph (17) ke saath Matthews ne 41-run ki opening stand di, lekin 77/4 par West Indies thodi si darr gayi thi. Yahan se Matthews ne apna captain ka farz nibhaya – 63* (56 balls) ke saath na sirf innings ko sambhala, balki Jannillea Glasgow (12*) ke saath match khatam bhi kiya. 19th over mein Ayabonga Khaka ke khilaf six aur four maar ke Matthews ne dikhaya ki woh kyun West Indies ki shaan hain. Nonkululeko Mlaba (2/17) ne koshish ki, lekin Matthews ke aage sab fail. Yeh performance unki 2024 ODI series mein 104 runs wali form ki tarah thi, jahan unhone South Africa ke khilaf hi half-century banayi thi.
West Indies ke liye yeh jeet sirf ek match nahi, balki ek jawab thi. Pehle T20I mein Tazmin Brits ke 98* ne unko 50 runs se hara diya tha, aur ODI series bhi 2-1 se haari thi. Lekin yahan, chhote se squad ke saath, Matthews aur Fletcher ne dikhaya ki ghar ke maidan par West Indies kisi se kam nahi. Jahzara Claxton jaise young players bhi apna dum dikha rahe hain, jaise Canada ke T20 World Cup 2026 qualifiers mein naye khiladiyo ne kiya.
Lekin thodi si baat dil se dil tak. Series ab 1-1 hai, aur teesra T20I faisla karega. South Africa ke pas Wolvaardt aur Kapp jaise match-winners hain, jo 2023 T20 World Cup mein final tak pahunch chuke hain. West Indies ke bowlers, khas kar Fletcher aur Ramharack, ko apna spin ka jaadu chalana hoga. Agar Matthews ka bat thanda pad gaya, toh kya Shemaine Campbelle ya Stafanie Taylor unka saath denge? Bas, yeh soch ke thodi si chinta ho rahi hai.
