Team India on Sunday defeated South Africa by 16 runs to register a first-ever T20I series win against the Proteas at home. David Miller’s magnificent hundred and Quinton de Kock’s resilient half-century went in vain but their extraordinary partnership certainly exposed India’s fragile death bowling once again. With this victory, India may have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, but they still need to fine-tune their attack, especially when there’s a T20 World Cup around the corner.
India vs South Africa Live Score 2nd T20I Highlights
The mammoth score of 237 seemed to be putting India in a comfortable spot. The viewers probably had thought it would be an easy win for the hosts, but David Miller and Quinton de Kock had different plans.
The duo joined forces when the Proteas were reduced to 47/3. While Miller took off from the word go, De Kock gained momentum gradually. When they arrived on the same page, every Indian bowler was just blown away.
Miller smashed 7 sixes and 8 boundaries, bringing up his 2nd T20I hundred off 46 deliveries. He scored an unbeaten 106 off 47 deliveries while De Kock returned to form with an unbeaten 69 off 48 balls. They forged an unbeaten 174-run partnership for the 4th wicket but it was an above-par score posted by India that overshadowed their combined efforts.
Just like the previous encounter in Thiruvananthapuram, the Proteas had a poor start in the chase of 238. Arshdeep Singh did the magic with the new ball once again, dismissing Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw for ducks, in a gap of two deliveries. But what followed next just exposed India’s fragile death bowling once again.
Aiden Markram walked out next and began charging the Indian bowlers right from the beginning. His 19-ball 33, including a six and 4 boundaries, helped the visitors post 45 runs in the powerplay, despite two wickets pretty early. But before he could take his innings deeper, he was cleaned up by Axar Patel. He tried to drive down the wrong line, ending up getting knocked over.
Earlier, openers Rohit Sharma (43) and KL Rahul (57) provided a flying start to the Indian innings after being asked to bat first. Rahul shut up his critics in style, slamming a 24-ball fifty, his second in a row, as he and Rohit put on 96 runs for the opening wicket that came off just 59 balls.
Suryakumar Yadav was once again at his absolute best, scoring a third successive half-century that came off just 18 deliveries and India crossed the 200-mark in the 18th over.
With the top-four doing the bulk of the scoring, India’s designated finisher Karthik got just seven balls but he made the most of the opportunity, smashing two sixes and one four in his quickfire 17 not out.
The South African pacers looked lacklustre and bowled full and the Indians feasted on them. Rohit first began the onslaught and Rahul followed it up in style after Temba Bavuma put them in. It was then the turn of Rahul who whipped the ball over his square leg with the perfect demonstration of his wrist work.
(With PTI Inputs)
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