In the first Twenty20 International at Kingsmead on Friday, India triumphed by 61 runs thanks to Sanju Samson’s fireworks and Varun Chakaravarthy’s spin, which left South Africa in ruins.
Even though Samson was excellent at bat, Chakaravarthy’s enigma left South Africa perplexed during the 203-run chase.
South Africa was shaken and hit hard at pivotal moments by India’s youthful but seasoned bowling lineup, which helped them win 22 of 24 Twenty20 International matches in 2024.
Before he could consider escaping with it, captain Aiden Markam’s knock was stopped by Arshdeep Singh. In Samson’s gloves, Markram (4) edged it with a hint of late swing.
In the following over, Ryan Rickelton responded with consecutive fours to maintain the momentum in the hosts’ advantage. To keep the hunt going, Stubbs skilfully flipped the ball for a 65-meter six.
Stubbs made an attempt to face Avesh Khan but lost to Suryakumar. Rickelton persisted to take on the Indian bowlers regardless of what happened at the other end.
The Indian captain introduced Chakaravarthy to change the pace as South Africa became more at ease on the crease.
Rickelton’s quick cameo of 21(11) was ended by Chakaravarthy, who lived up to the expectations with a flung up delivery.
A fresh wave of joy filled the stadium as Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller joined forces on the crease. Despite the fact that the runs did not overflow, India began to regress slowly. But the presence always sparked suspicion of an improbable return.
When Klaasen attempted to punch his ticket for a maximum in the 12th over, it proved to be the game-changing moment. He was unable to cross the finish line despite timing to clear the long-on.
After a delivery in the same over, Miller trailed Klaasen back into the dressing room. South Africa dropped wickets one after another as the floodgates opened.
Towards the end, Marco Jansed and Gerald Coetzee entertained the audience with fireworks. South Africa lost by 61 runs at 141, putting an end to the fireworks.
Towards the end, Marco Jansed and Gerald Coetzee entertained the audience with fireworks. South Africa lost by 61 runs at 141, putting an end to the fireworks.
South Africa won the toss and decided to field earlier in the game. Gerald Coetzee dismissed Abhishek Sharma for seven, putting India at 24/1, dealing them a blow early on. But thanks to some outstanding strokes from Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav, who formed a 66-run partnership, India surpassed the 50-run milestone in just 5.3 overs.
Patrick Kruger dismissed Suryakumar for 21. After joining Samson, Tilak Varma scored 33 runs off of 18 balls, including three fours and two sixes, before Keshav Maharaj removed him. Nqabayomzi Peter eventually removed Samson, who now joins a select group of players who have scored hundreds in back-to-back Twenty20 Internationals, including Phil Salt, Rilee Rossouw, and Gustav McKeon.
Rinku Singh (11) and Hardik Pandya (2) failed to contribute significantly despite strong starts. While Ravi Bishnoi only got a single before being run out, Axar Patel’s comeback was likewise modest after he was removed for seven by Marco Jansen.
Gerald Coetzee, who claimed 3/37 in his four overs, was South Africa’s most impressive bowler. With one wicket apiece from Jansen, Maharaj, Peter, and Kruger, India was held to 202/8.
In a nutshell, India defeated South Africa 202/8 (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Varma 33; Gerald Coetzee 3/37).