South Africa take 1-0 lead with five-wicket win over India

PTI, Dec 13, 2023, 8:16 AM IST

Image credit: X / @BCCI

Gqeberha (South Africa): South Africa shred a pedestrian looking Indian bowling attack to pieces to script a five-wicket win in the second T20 of the three-match series here on Tuesday.

Rinku Singh (68 not out off 39) enhanced his credentials as a finisher with a maiden half-century while skipper Suryakumar Yadav (56 off 36) played in his inimitable way to take India to 180 for seven after being put in to bat.

Set a revised a target of 152 in 15 overs due to rain, South Africa rocketed to 67 for one in five overs. They eventually cantered to win in 13.5 overs.

Both Mohammad Siraj and Arshdeep Singh were taken to the cleaners upfront.

The left-arm pacer conceded as many as 24 runs in his opening over in which Reeza Hendricks (49 off 27) smashed him out of the ground with a massive strike over mid-wicket.

Spin was introduced as early as in the third over but to no avail against the rampaging batters of the home team.

After Matthew Breezke (16 off 7) departed, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram (30 off 17) went on a leather hunt.

The Proteas were cruising but loss of three quick wickets gave India an opening.

However, South Africa had too much firepower up their sleeve and eventually got home comfortably.

The third and final T20 will be played in Johannesburg on Thursday. The first T20 in Durban was washed out.

Put in to bat, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) and Shubman Gill (0) for six runs before Surya led from the front and forged fine partnerships with Tilak Varma (29 off 20) and then Rinku.

Rain arrived at St George’s Park with three balls left in the innings and Gerald Coetzee on a hat trick, having got rid of Ravindra Jadeja and Arshdeep Singh. The innings did not resume thereafter.

Playing for the first time in South Africa, Rinku took his time initially before working the field beautifully. His square of the wicket shots stood out in his well paced innings including fours and two straight sixes off Aiden Markram.

Coming in at number three, Varma looked good in the middle before getting caught at deep third man in the sixth over.

What followed was a 70-run stand between Surya and Rinku. Surya played like he usually does, collecting a chunk of his runs behind the wicket.

His three sixes came as he got inside the line of the ball to send the ball over the ropes. Two were in the fine leg region and one over midwicket.

It was not the smoothest of starts for India, who lost Jaiswal and Gill in the first two overs.

Jaiswal could not control the cut shot against Marco Jansen to be brilliantly caught by David Miller at backward point.

Varma could have departed in similar fashion two balls later but Miller could not hold on to that sharp chance.

Gill was trapped in front by Lizaad Williams who got the ball to nip back from length.

Despite the initial pressure, the Indian batters kept batting aggressively.