Wolvaardt century helps Proteas issue T20 World Cup warning

South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt joined two of her fellow contemporaries at the top of the list for the most centuries in women's international cricket with a splendid hundred in an impressive series-clinching victory over India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt scored 115 from just 53 as South Africa successfully chased down India's total of 192/4 inside 16.3 overs and for the loss of one wicket to open up an unassailable 3-0 series advantage in what was another ominous performance less than eight weeks out from the start of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup on June 12.

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It was Wolvaardt's third T20I century and matched her previous best of 115 achieved against Ireland in Cape Town last year, while it was also the 17th time she has reached triple figures across her career and allowed her to join former Australia skipper Meg Lanning and India opener Smriti Mandhana with the most international centuries in women's cricket.

Wolvaardt smashed 14 fours and five sixes during her innings, with the in-form right-hander bringing up her century in just 47 deliveries to register the equal fourth fastest hundred ever in women's T20I cricket.

Wolvaardt put on a whopping 183 with fellow opener Sune Luus - the second time the pair have combined for a century partnership this series - and made the tough chase look easy against the reigning ICC Women's Cricket World Cup champions.

The South Africa openers scored 72 runs inside the Powerplay - the most in South African women's history - and Wolvaardt credited Luus for keeping her cool during the chase.

"We kept each other pretty calm out there," Wolvaardt said.

"It's new territory to find ourselves on 70-odd after the Powerplay but once we got that, we told each other we have to keep going.

"We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could."

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (66) and opener Shafali Verma (64) had earlier helped India post a respectable total of 192/4, but that proved too few as Wolvaardt and Luus scored freely to ensure South Africa clinched the series in impressive style.

The Wanderers will host the next game of the series on Saturday before the fifth and final game between the two rivals in Benoni on Monday and Wolvaardt wants her side to keep the momentum going ahead of the T20 World Cup.

"We are in a very good space. We are improving every single game," Wolvaardt said.

"It is a good surface and we have been getting the better of the tosses. Once we lose the toss and have to bat first, that will be a different story but that's what this five match series is for."

Series Schedule

First T20I, April 17 - Kingsmead, Durban (South Africa won by six wickets)
Second T20I, April 19 - Kingsmead, Durban (South Africa won by eight wickets)
Third T20I, April 22 - Wanderers, Johannesburg (South Africa won by nine wickets)
Fourth T20I, April 25 - Wanderers, Johannesburg
Fifth T20I, April 27 - Willowmoore Park, Benoni