Chennai, Jul 7: Persistent rain forced the abandonment of the second women's T20 International between India and South Africa after the visitors made 177 for six in their innings here on Sunday.

It helped South Africa maintain their 1-0 lead in the three-match series, and now, India will have to win the third and final T20I here on Tuesday (July 9) to avoid a rare home series defeat.

The start of the match was delayed by 15 minutes because of rain and it was a constant spoilsport on three occasions during South Africa's innings without stopping the proceedings.

But the heavens opened up during the innings break, sufficient to force the teams to stay put in their respective dressing rooms.

The overs began to lose by 9.16 pm, and the nagging drizzle meant that even the cut-off time -- 10.13 pm -- for a five-over-a-side contest could not be met, eventually forcing the umpires to take the tough call.

Earlier, Tazmin Brits made a measured fifty as the Proteas overcame some mid-innings jitters to post a challenging 177 for six after being asked to bat first.

Brits (52 off 39 balls) received solid support from Anneke Bosch (40 off 32 balls) as the Proteas racked up their second-highest T20I total against India.

Openers Laura Wolvaardt (22 off 12 balls) and Brits were involved in a 42-run opening stand before pacer Pooja Vastrakar got rid of the former in the fifth over.

In the company of Marizanne Kapp (20 off 14 balls), Brits continued her brisk scoring ways as they put up 66 runs during the powerplay.

While Brits brought up her 11th T20I half-century, she failed to push her stand with Bosch going beyond 38, falling to Deepti in the 14th over, with the score reading 113 for three.

The Indian bowlers, especially the spinners, were barely giving the South Africans any room to bat freely, forcing them to use the sweep shots quite often.

Vastrakar bowled the final over and got rid of Nadine de Klerk (14 off 9 balls), but Jemimah Rodrigues dropped the chance to dismiss Annerie Dercksen (12 not out) for which she made the Indians pay, striking three fours in a row off the last three balls of SA innings.

Vastrakar and Deepti claimed two wickets each for the hosts.

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Bengaluru, Nov 26: With a group of Karnataka BJP leaders led by Bijapur MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal holding a parallel agitation over the waqf issue, veteran party leader B S Yediyurappa on Tuesday accused them of doing it because of their "self-conceit", and appealed them to work unitedly to strengthen the party.

The former Karnataka chief minister also said that everyone should take the responsibility for the party's defeat in the Assembly bypolls for three segments, even as the BJP's performance is being seen as a "setback" for his son and state president B Y Vijayendra.

"State president B Y Vijayendra has appealed to Basangouda Patil Yatnal and others to stop protesting separately, and work with us unitedly. Despite this, because of their self-conceit, they are doing such things. It is not right on their part," Yediyurappa said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said, "I appeal to them at least now to come forward and cooperate to strengthen the party together."

When told that they are not willing to work unitedly with the state's current leadership of the party and whether he will bring it to the notice of the high command, Yediyurappa said, "We will do our duty. The rest is left to them and central leadership...high command knows everything. Let's see what they will do."

Yatnal-led group include BJP MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, B P Harish, and former lawmakers Aravind Limbavali, Kumar Bangarappa and G M Siddeshwara and others.

The leaders, who had stayed away from the protest recently held by the party on the Waqf issue, on Monday held a parallel agitation over the issue in Bidar. Today, they are in Kalaburagi district.

Yatnal and Jarkiholi have been openly critical of Vijayendra, accusing him of indulging in "adjustment politics" with the ruling Congress, and trying to keep the party in his clutches along with his father Yediyurappa.

Noting that the party had faced a setback in the bypolls for Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna, Yediyurappa said, "We accept that. What shortcomings were being discussed in the party. It should be ensured that such things don't repeat."

To a question whether the bypoll loss is being seen as a setback to his son Vijayendra, he said, "It is not a question of Vijayendra or Yediyurappa. The loss in all the three seats is a setback for us (party). Everyone should take the responsibility and see to it that such things don't repeat."

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