In the final over of the Indian innings during the series opening first T20I against South Africa on Thursday night, Hardik Pandya curiously refused a single despite an in-form and established finisher in Dinesh Karthik at the non-striker’s end. India would finish with a big total of 211/4 but they failed to defend it.
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With India 202/3 after 19 overs, right-arm fast Anrich Nortje came to bowl the 20th over and he landed a big blow when he got rid of captain Rishabh Pant off the first delivery. In walked Karthik at no. 5 and he went for a massive shot but ended up missing the full length delivery.
Off the following, Karthik, who was in prime form during IPL 2022 that earned him an India recall after nearly three years of waiting, somehow managed to get a connection and Pandya set off for the risky single realising his batting partner was struggling a bit.
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And then Pandya, who was also in superb touch during IPL as he led his franchise Gujarat Titans to title win, slammed the fourth delivery for a six. Nortje followed that with a pinpoint yorker and it was flicked to deep midwicket.
Surprisingly, Pandya didn’t go for what would have been an easy single showing faith in himself to finish the innings with the big hit. However, the Nortje landed another yorker which the India allrounder managed to play to long-on and collected a couple.
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Fine half-centuries from Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller took South Africa to the target with five deliveries to spare with Indian bowlers having a nightmare.
Pant, during the post-match presentation, admitted the batters put up enough runs but the bowlers were a little off.
“We had enough on the board, but I think we were a little off with the execution. But sometimes you got to give credit to the opposition. Miller and RvD batted well. Slower balls were working when we batted, but the wicket got better in the second innings,” he said.
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