South Africa's women cricket team won the third Twenty20 International of the five-match series to keep the contest alive. South Africa chased down the target of 134 runs with five wickets in hand after Indian women suffered a dramatic collapse to be all out for 133.
Shabnim Ismail's five-wicket haul guided South Africa to thew win. Ismail was adjudged Player of the Match for a magnificent bowling performance, while Masabata Klaas picked two.
For South Africa, Dane van Niekerk and Sune Luus provided a solid start after opener Lizelle Lee was removed for five.
Mignon du Preez and Chloe Tryon hit 20 and 34 respectively as South Africa registered their first win in the series.
Pooja Vastrakar removed two South African wickets as Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Anuja Patil and Poonam Yadav chipped in with one apiece.
India are still leading the series 2-1 and will look to seal it when they meet Proteas women on February 21.
Put into bat, India were cruising at one stage as they were placed at 93 for two in the 12th over with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (48) punishing the home bowlers with her thunderous strokes. Harmanpreet smashed two sixes six fours in her 30-ball knock.
However, once the aggressive Indian captain and left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana (37) were dismissed, the tourists lost wickets in a heap to be bowled out in 17.5 overs.
After losing the seasoned Mithali Raj for a duck in the very first over, Harmanpreet and Smriti (37) added 55 runs for the second wicket in quick time.
The partnership was broken by leg-spinner Dane van Niekerk, who had the left-handed Smriti caught by Moseline Daniels. Smriti took 24 balls for her 37 which had five fours and one shot over the ropes
Harmanpreet was caught behind off pacer Shabnim Ismail, who emerged as the wrecker-in-chief with a five-wicket haul. It was a career-best figures for Shabnim, who conceded only 30 runs.
Medium pacer Masabata Klaas (2/20) also contributed by assisting Shabnim in dismantling the Indian middle-order.
India are leading the five-match series 2-1.
