South Africa crushes India consecutively in the 2nd T20I by 4 wickets to go up 2-0: South Africa have successfully registered their second consecutive victory over India in the ongoing T20I series. The visitors successfully chased down the modest total (148) set by the Indians in the second T20I at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack by four wickets to go 2-nil in the five matches series.
This is India’s seventh T20I defeat on the trot in 2022 in absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma. Under Rohit Sharma’s leadership, India managed to win all 11 T20I matches played in 2022, however, the stand-in captains haven’t been able to go past the winning rope even once in 2022.
After winning the toss, South African skipper Temba Bavuma invited India to bat first on the tricky Cuttack surface. Team India were opened by the opposition bowlers right from the start. The openers, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan couldn’t produce a solid start. Meanwhile, the middle order, barring Shreyas Iyer, also succumbed against the South African bowling unit.
Shreyas Iyer, for some time, showed resistance and scored 40 runs from 35 deliveries, but he too fell in the 14th over. Dinesh Karthik and Harshal Patel tried to finish things off in style for the hosts, however, South African bowlers were too got to on the day restricted team India to below 150 runs total.
In pursuit of a below-par total (148), South Africa, too, suffered early jolts with Indian senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar producing a scintillating spell. Kumar scalped three wickets in his first spell and reduced South Africa to 29 runs in the loss of three wickets.
Bhuvneshwar set a perfect launchpad for the other bowlers to exploit the conditions, however, Heinrich Klaasen along with Temba Bavuma did some rescue work to bring back the Protea innings on track.
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While Klaasen played a match-defining knock of 81 runs in 46 deliveries, skipper Temba Bavuma anchored with 35 runs from 30 deliveries. David Miller, in the end, scored 20 runs from 15 balls and took South Africa over the winning line in the 2nd T20I.
Heinrich Klaasen was adjudged “Player of the Match” for his solid 81 runs knock in just 46 balls with the help of seven boundaries and five sixes.
With the win, South Africa goes 2-nil up in the five matches T20I series against India. The visitors just need a single victory to seal the T20I series, while team India will require lion-hearted effort to continue being a contender in the series. Rishabh Pant and Co, now require three consecutive victories to stamp their authority in the five matches T20I series.
For the next match, both sides will travel to Vishakhapatnam. The third T20I match will be played at Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on June 14.
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