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South Africa beat India by five wickets (DLS method) in yesterday’s T20I match at the St George's Park in Gqeberha. With the win in the second T20I, the Proteas took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series; the first match being abandoned without a ball being bowled.
South Africa won the toss and elected to field first in the game. Sent into bat, Team India recovered after losing their openers for ducks to post 180/7 in 19.3 overs. No further play was possible in India’s innings and South Africa were given a revised DRS target of 152 in 15 overs.
The Proteas got off to a hot start in the chase, racing away to 38 in two overs. The dangerous opening stand was broken with score on 42 in the third over. Matthew Breetzke (16 off 7) wanted a second run, which Reeza Hendricks refused. As a result,the former ended up being run out.
Hendricks (49 off 27) and skipper Aiden Markram (30 off 17), however, added 54 for the second wicket at quick pace to put the hosts on top in the chase. The latter hit four fours and a six before miscuing a short ball off Mukesh Kumar to deep square leg. Hendricks fell one short of his half-century, chipping Kuldeep Yadav to the fielder at cover.
Heinrich Klaasen also fell soon after for 7, but David Miller scored a handy 17 before being caught at deep backward square leg off Mukesh’s bowling. Tristan Stubbs (14* off 10) and Andile Phehlukwayo (10* off 4) combined to lift South Africa past the finish line in 13.5 overs.
Phehlukwayo brought up the winning runs in style, pulling Ravindra Jadeja over deep square leg for a maximum.
Suryakumar, Rinku push India to 180
Batting first, India got off to a disappointing start as Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) fell third ball, carving a catch to backward point off Marco Jansen’s bowling. Shubman Gill (0) was then trapped lbw by Lizaad Williams as a length ball tailed in and beat him all ends up.
Suryakumar Yadav (56 off 36) and Tilak Varma (29 off 20) added 49 for the third wicket to lend some solidity to the Indian innings. The partnership was broken when the latter was caught at deep third man off Gerald Coetzee’s bowling.
Varma’s exit, however, brought Rinku Singh to the crease. The latter struck a belligerent 68* off 39 balls. The left-hander added 70 for the fourth wicket with skipper Suryakumar.
The fine stand ended when the Indian captain was caught at long-off off Tabraiz Shamsi’s bowling, having struck five fours and three sixes.
Rinku then provided the fireworks at the death again, clobbering nine fours and two sixes in his innings. One of his maximums shattered the media box glass at St George's Park.
Who was Player of the Match in yesterday’s India vs South Africa T20I?
Suryakumar played a captain’s knock for Team India, while Rinku was at his destructive best once again. With the ball, pacer Mukesh claimed two wickets.
For South Africa, left-arm spinner Shamsi was brilliant with figures of 1/18, while pacer Coetzee claimed three scalps. In the chase, Hendricks and captain Markram made significant contributions.
Shamsi was named Player of the Match for his economical spell that stifled India.
