Durban, April 18 : South Africa outclassed India by six wickets in the opening Womenâ??s T20I, riding on a clinical all-round effort to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Put in to bat, the Women in Blue made a brisk start with Shafali Verma setting the tone through a quickfire 34 off 20 balls, while Smriti Mandhana chipped in with 13. The visitors raced to 46 inside five overs before South Africa struck back with quick wickets to derail the momentum.

The innings was then steadied by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues, who stitched together a crucial 71-run partnership for the third wicket. Rodrigues played fluently for her 36 off 29 deliveries, while Harmanpreet anchored the innings with a 33-ball 47. At 119/2 in the 14th over, India looked set for a total well beyond 165.

However, South Africaâ??s bowlers staged a strong comeback at the death. Tumi Sekhukhune and Ayabonga Khaka mixed their pace cleverly and executed their slower balls to perfection, triggering a collapse. India managed just 38 runs in the last 34 balls, losing wickets at regular intervals, finishing at 157/7. Khaka was particularly impressive, returning figures of 3/16.

In response, the Proteas approached the chase with composure and clarity. After an early setback, Laura Wolvaardt took control of proceedings with a classy knock, bringing up a well-paced half-century. She found support from Annerie Dercksen, who played a vital hand in the middle overs to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Indiaâ??s bowlers struggled to maintain discipline, conceding several extras that eased the pressure on the hosts. Despite picking up a few wickets through Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani, India failed to build sustained pressure as missed chances and erratic lines proved costly.

Wolvaardtâ??s dismissal for 51 in the 14th over briefly opened a window for India, but Dercksen (44 off 34) and Chloe Tryon ensured there were no further hiccups. The duo calmly guided South Africa towards the target before Tryon sealed the win in style with a towering six on the first delivery of the final over.

South Africa eventually reached the target with five balls to spare, underlining their dominance in all three departments. While India showed promise in patches, particularly through their middle-order partnership, their inability to capitalise at the death and lack of discipline with the ball proved decisive.

The visitors will now look to regroup quickly and address their shortcomings ahead of the second T20I on Sunday.

Brief scores; India Women 157/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 47, Jemimah Rodrigues 36; Ayabonga Khaka 3-16, Tumi Sekhukhune 2-27) lost to South Africa Women 158/4 in 19.1 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 51, Annerie Dercksen 44; Shreyanka Patil 2-26, Shree Charani 1-26) by six wickets.

/IANS