South Africa choose to bat after winning fifth straight toss

The hosts brought back de Klerk and Bosch while Arundhati made a return for India

Firdose Moonda

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 11:57 AM (2 hrs ago)

South Africa chose to bat v India

Laura Wolvaardt maintained a 100% toss record in the series as she won her fifth in five games on Freedom Day in South Africa. While the country celebrates the right to choose, Wolvaardt opted to bat first for the first time in the series, after South Africa took an unassailable 3-nil lead chasing but then lost game four. Whatever happens in the finale, the hosts will hold the trophy at the end but India will want a 3-2 scoreline and not 4-1.

South Africa's opportunity for a clean sweep is gone but with this being their last competitive game before the T20 World Cup in June, the result will hold some weight. They brought back premier allrounder Nadine de Klerk, after she was rested from match four, and batter Anneke Bosch in while Kayle Reyneke and Tumi Sukhukhune were given the game off.

India remained without Smriti Mandhana after the BCCI confirmed she was rested from game four. Anushka Sharma got another opportunity at the top of the order with Bharti Fulmali at No.6. Their only change was in the bowling attack. Arundhati Reddy, who missed the last game after leaving the field in game three with what looked like a side strain, is back. Kashvee Gautam, who appeared to hurt her shoulder in game four, is out.

South Africa: 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Sune Luus, 3 Tazmin Brits, 4 Annerie Dercksen, 5 Anneke Bosch, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Sinalo Jafta (wk), 9 Eliz-Mari Marx 10 Ayabonga Khaka, 11 Nonkululekho Mlaba

India: 1 Shafali Verma, 2 Anushka Sharma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh, 6 Bharti Fulmali, 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Arundhati Reddy, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 Sree Charani, 11 Renuka Singh

Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's senior correspondent for Africa and women's cricket

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