Lubabalo Gcuma (South Africa), Stephen Harris (South Africa), Arno Jacobs (South Africa, TV)
Referee
Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
Toss
South Africa elected to bowl
Pitch Report
It's overcast but humid. Very strong breeze coming across, players have to be aware of it. Just 56m across the ground, it's a boundary to protect against the wind. As far as the surface goes, it has rained a lot and it's hard on the deck. Nice grass covering, it will have a nice carry. Bowl first, see how it goes and then take it forward. You'll know what to chase as well, there may be rain later in the night.
VENUE STATS
1st Innings
160Avg Runs
7Avg Wkts
140.69Avg
SR
2nd Innings
142Avg Runs
6Avg Wkts
140.51Avg
SR
Weather Update
Weather Update
Durban,South Africa
Updated: 09 Nov 00:00
22.2°CClouds
overcast clouds
100%
Clouds
5%
Rain %
84%
Humidity
17.1 kmph
Wind
Playing XILineups Out
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Head To Head
(Last 10 Matches)
Head To Head
(Last 10 Matches)
SA
3-
6
IND
Team Form
(Recent 5 Matches, Latest First)
Team Form
(Recent 5 Matches, Latest First)
South Africa
L
W
L
L
L
2nd T20I•Sep 29•Ireland tour of South Africa in United Arab Emirates
Experts are creating their teams, watch this space
Expert Team 1
H Pandya
V Chakravarthy
Expert Team 2
S Samson
A Markram
Venue Details
Kingsmead, Durban
It's overcast but humid. Very strong breeze coming across, players have to be aware of it. Just 56m across the ground, it's a boundary to protect against the wind. As far as the surface goes, it has rained a lot and it's hard on the deck. Nice grass covering, it will have a nice carry. Bowl first, see how it goes and then take it forward. You'll know what to chase as well, there may be rain later in the night.
The commentary is not available for this match. Please check the scorecard for latest updates.
So, that will be all from us in terms of coverage of the 1st of four T20 Internationals between these two sides. India were the better team by a country mile tonight - they've been an unstoppable force in this format throughout the year - this was their 22nd T20I win in 2024. They've also just capped off an eleventh consecutive win in T20I cricket since a defeat to Zimbabwe in a five-match series back in July. South Africa will host India at the St. George's Park for the second game on Sunday. Join us right here on Sportskeeda for our coverage of the game, and in the meantime, keep an eye on our page for a whole lot more! This is Rajarshi Das, signing off on behalf of Pradeep Somasekhar. Good night!
Suryakumar Yadav [India captain]: I didn't know about that (India not losing at Durban till date), just got to know about it. Following the same things, we haven't changed the brand of cricket we've been playing in the last two series. Very happy with the win. The amount of hard work he's (Samson) done in the last two years, doing those boring things again and again, he's eating the fruits of that today. Very happy the way he's putting the team first. He was looking to hit a boundary and six in the 90s as well. You see the character of a player there, that's what makes the difference from everyone. That (bringing spinners on) was the plan, I wanted to pick crucial wickets at the time. Was important to get Klaasen and Miller out at the time, with the ground and the wind they're so dangerous. The way both spinners delivered was incredible. Really enjoyable (captaincy) said at the toss and the PC the boys have made my job easier, I don't need to take any pressure or carry any baggage, the way they're playing and showing fearless attitude, enjoying each other's company. Not really (on having a word about the collapse with the bat towards the end), the brand of cricket we're playing right now is fearless, even though we lose a few wickets in between. We have 20 overs, but if we can get 200 in 17 overs, why not.
Aiden Markram [South Africa captain]: Not so much about the toss, both new balls did little bit with the extra-bounce, but consistent throughout. Once the newish ball worn off, it was great time to bat on. From our point of view, we could've got off to a good start, but we lost momentum, we will try to sort it out. Look, Sanju played a good knock, might have to work on our plans, once you have someone like Sanju playing like that, it's hard to stop. Just really good plans, we had a couple of meetings for the guys who were bowling the death, proud about them, they stuck to their plans. Hopefully we can take that positive into the next game. From individual point of view, they need to know where they are, that is important. Collective effort is key, approach it better.
Sanju Samson is the Player of the Match! Here's what he has to say: Really enjoying my time in the middle, utilizing my form to full effect. It's always the intent, we talked a lot being aggressive, keeping the team ahead of yourselves. Once you play those first few balls, you look to play positive and then comes the boundary shots. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't, happy that it paid off today. It was very crucial, knowing the home advantage, they are a great side and we needed to start off on a winning note with the series.
This was the over that seemingly decided the fate of the contest. Click on the link below to have a look at it, folks!
Never at any stage of the chase did the Proteas pose a threat for the current Men's T20 World Cup champions. India have picked up from where they left against Bangladesh - Samson with a second delightful hundred, one that actually proved decisive in India's eventual first innings total, and then, the Indian spinners ran riot, ripping right through South Africa's middle order.
Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs tried to provide the hosts with a brisk start after the Proteas lost skipper Aiden Markram in the first over. While Stubbs fell cheaply, flat-batting one straight to Suryakumar Yadav off Avesh Khan, Rickelton kept going, and helped South Africa get to 41 with two overs remaining in the powerplay. Hardik Pandya applied the squeeze in the penultimate over of the first six, and then, the Indian spinners got in on the act.
Varun Chakravarthy eked Rickelton out in his first over, and was constantly being motivated in his own language by Samson from behind the stumps. Much was expected from David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen - two great players of spin - in those middle-overs. The duo, though, just weren't able to break free against Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi, and fell in quick succession to the former, picking fielders out in the deep with precision.
Bishnoi struck thrice in his next two overs, and before they knew it, South Africa were down to their tail. Gerald Coetzee hung around for a while and struck a few meaty blows, but the game was well and truly out of the Proteas' grasp by then. They lost four wickets for 14 runs in the span of overs 11 to 13, and that pretty much killed the game off for them. India take the lead in this four-match series with a clinical, all-round performance. Presentations coming up in a bit...
17.5 Avesh Khan to Keshav Maharaj, OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! That's that, India take a 1-0 lead in the series! Statement win from India, thumped South Africa in their own backyard. Nails the yorker on the off-stump, Maharaj swings across and misses, rattles the off-stump.
Keshav Maharaj b Avesh Khan 5 (9b, 0x4, 0x6)
17.4 Avesh Khan to Nqabayomzi Peter, too full on the middle and leg, Peter drilled it to long-on for a single.
17.3 Avesh Khan to Nqabayomzi Peter, FOUR! Back of a length on the stumps, Peter swatted it straight back past the bowler, raced away to the ropes.
17.2 Avesh Khan to Keshav Maharaj, DROPPED! Ramandeep almost with a stunner, what an effort nevertheless! Short into the batter, Maharaj pulled that one away. Ramandeep covers the ground in a flash, gets to the ball as he dives to his left but doesn't cling on. He's gutted!
17.1 Avesh Khan to Keshav Maharaj, OH! Back of a length outside the off-stump, Maharaj has a big swing across the line and misses.
Avesh Khan (2-0-22-1) is back into the attack
The last rites are all that remain in the game.
17
overs
135/9score
1
1wd
1wd
1
0
2
W
0
runs
Nqabayomzi Peter*
0(1)
Keshav Maharaj
4(6)
Arshdeep Singh
1/25
16.6 Arshdeep Singh to Nqabayomzi Peter, OH! Low full toss outside the off-stump, from round the wicket. Peter slices it away, but Pandya dives to his left and stops it at backward point.
Nqabayomzi Peter, RHB, is the last man in
As clinical a performance on the field as they come! SKY lit up the stumps before Coetzee could make it, and South Africa lose their ninth!
16.5 Arshdeep Singh to Keshav Maharaj, RUN-OUT! SKY hits the bulls-eye and Coetzee has to go! Huge mix-up in the middle and Coetzee is the one who has to go. Dips a low full toss, Maharaj slapped it straight to SKY at extra-cover and takes off, but stops as Coetzee does too. SKY needed to hit the stumps and he did as Coetzee finds himself well short!
Gerald Coetzee run out (Suryakumar Yadav) 23 (11b, 0x4, 3x6)
16.4 Arshdeep Singh to Keshav Maharaj, OH! Stupendous bit of fielding from Ramandeep. Low full toss outside the off-stump, Maharaj thrashes it away. Ramandeep comes diving around at wide long-off and saves a certain boundary.
Video
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H Pandya
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Nqabayomzi Peter
*
Arshdeep Singh
Kingsmead, Durban
![[Watch] Varun Chakaravarthy dismisses Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller in same over to derail Proteas chase in 1st SA vs IND T20I](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/ba497-17310906717925-1920.jpg)
