On the eve of the match, social media was rife with people requesting all to pray to Goddess Durga for a rain free Sunday. There was clear weather but no one could have ever imagined that there would be a floodlights malfunction, or a snake sneaking into the ground!
AS IT HAPPENED
Eventually those two incidents proved to be only the pitstops as India cantered to a 16-run win to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. This was also India’s first T20 International series victory against South Africa at home.
There was no stopping the Indian batters on a placid Barsapara Cricket Stadium. South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma had asked his India counterpart Rohit Sharma to bat first after winning the toss but some toothless bowling and the smaller boundaries didn’t help the Proteas’ cause as India reached a daunting 237/3, with 178 being scored in boundaries (25 fours, 13 sixes).
Chasing a massive 238, South Africa got two early jolts, losing their captain Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw with only one run on the board.
In the end it did prove to be costly as wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock (69 not out off 48 balls) and D avid Miller (a spectacular, unbeaten 106 off 47) put together an unbeaten, 174-run stand to take SA very close to the target.
India won comfortably but their death bowling remains a concern in Jasprit Bumrah’s absence. All the bowlers except Deepak Chahar were taken to the cleaners. Arshdeep Singh was the costliest with 62 runs from four overs even after bowling an excellent first over, taking two wickets for just five runs.
India’s hero of the day was man-in-form Suryakumar Yadav, who again did justice to his growing reputation by scoring 61 off 22 balls, while vice-captain KL Rahul hit a fluid 57 off 28 balls. Virat Kohli remained stranded just a run short of his fifty as India’s designated finisher Dinesh Karthik took the stage in last couple of overs, hitting two sixes and a four.
Rohit Sharma (43 off 37 balls), playing his 400th T20 match, started the match by hitting one to the fence in the very first delivery bowled by Kagiso Rabada, but it was his deputy and opening partner KL Rahul who took the fast lane from the word go. He was the aggressor as Rohit built his innings before falling in the penultimate ball of the 10th over with 96 runs on board.
How can @surya_14kumar’s dazzling form be retained? 🤔🗣️ 🗣️ Here’s what #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 said. #INDvSA https://t.co/Gkbaej2dHc
— BCCI (@BCCI) 1664735540000
Rahul raced to a consecutive half-century off just 24 balls, hitting Aiden Markram over long on onto the second tier. The visitors were to be blamed for some wayward bowling, but even so, Suryakumar showcased his ‘360-degree’ prowess, hitting shots all around the ground.
Milestone 🚨 – @surya_14kumar becomes the fastest batter to get to 1000 T20I runs in terms of balls (573) faced.… https://t.co/qdiK2zEeNC
— BCCI (@BCCI) 1664727222000
Barring SA vice-captain Kehsav Maharaj, who returned with figures of 2-23 from his quota of four overs, no other South Africa bowlers could contain the India batters, with Rabada being the most expensive, giving away 57 runs from his four overs.
.@klrahul bags the Player of the Match award as #TeamIndia seal a win in the second #INDvSA T20I. 👍 👍Scorecard 👉… https://t.co/3jcpgTuD69
— BCCI (@BCCI) 1664735150000
