September 29, 2022
4 mins read

1st T20: India beat South Africa by 8 wickets

Returning in the third over, Chahar made it three ducks in five balls for South Africa as Tristan Stubbs tried to cut a short and wide ball over point, but gave a simple catch to a diving Arshdeep at third man….reports Asian Lite News

Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar blew away South Africa’s top order in a magnificent spell of swing bowling, before vice-captain KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav slammed unbeaten fifties to give India an eight-wicket win over South Africa in the T20I series opener at the Greenfield International Stadium on Wednesday.

On a two-paced pitch with green tinge as international cricket returned to the venue after three years, Arshdeep (3/32) and Chahar (2/24) justified Rohit Sharma’s call to bowl first as they scythed through South Africa’s top-order by picking five wickets on the first 15 balls of the innings to restrict the visitors to 106/8 in 20 overs.

The duo, who did not play in the recent home series against Australia and replaced a rested Bhuvneshwar Kumar as well as Jasprit Bumrah – out due to a back niggle, were sensational in their T20I comebacks to set the base for India taking 1-0 lead in three-match series.

With movement in the air for the left-right pace bowling duo, suddenly the environment felt more of England and less of India, more of Test cricket and less of T20I match. South Africa batters were unable to move their feet well and fell like a deck of cards, with their scores resembling a binary code.

Chahar began the carnage when he castled Temba Bavuma with an inswinger on the final ball of opening bowler after bowling three outswingers. In the next over, Arshdeep got one to swing a length ball away from Quinton de Kock, who just chopped on to his stumps.

Arshdeep then enticed Rilee Rossouw to drive at a full and swinging away delivery, giving a thick outer edge behind to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and fall for a golden duck. On the very next ball, Arshdeep got a fuller ball to come back in and shatter David Miller’s stumps by hitting the top of middle stump.

Returning in the third over, Chahar made it three ducks in five balls for South Africa as Tristan Stubbs tried to cut a short and wide ball over point, but gave a simple catch to a diving Arshdeep at third man.

It took Keshav Maharaj’s fighting efforts with the bat, top-scoring with 41 and taking three boundaries off Arshdeep in the 19th over, apart from 25 by Aiden Markram and 24 by Wayne Parnell for the visitors’ to cross 100-run mark, a possibility which looked far away when the decimation by Arshdeep and Chahar reduced them to 9/5 inside first three overs.

A target of 107 looked slippery when a peach from Kagiso Rabada in the second over lured Rohit Sharma into playing at it and thick edge went behind to Quinton de Kock, who dived to his right to send the Indian skipper back for a two-ball duck.

Post power-play, where India made only 17/1, their lowest score in the six overs phase, Virat Kohli tried to cut a short and wide ball from Anrich Nortje, only for the extra bounce to take the edge behind to de Kock. After hopping and fending on his first ball, Suryakumar (50 not out) slammed back-to-back sixes – a top-edge on pull went over third man and a nonchalant flick went over backward square leg.

Rahul (51 not out) was kept quiet by a slew of outswingers and inswingers apart from surviving close lbw shouts off Parnell and Rabada, opened up by flicking off his wrists over long-on for six off Nortje, followed by Suryakumar slapping through point for four off Keshav Maharaj.

Rahul then pulled Tabraiz Shamsi over backward square leg for six and Suryakumar ended the over by flicking hard off his wrists through deep mid-wicket for four. Suryakumar enthralled the crowd with his trademark shot when he lofted inside-out with the turn over wide long-off off Maharaj.

A pacy full toss from Nortje was lofted over cover by Rahul for six while Suryakumar placed a slower ball through point for four as India started to coast towards victory.

Suryakumar continued to collect fours with ease against Rabada and reached his second consecutive fifty in 33 balls in the next over. On the very next ball, Rahul slog-swept Shamsi over backward square leg to reach his fifty in 56 balls and complete the chase in style with 20 balls to spare.

Brief Scores: South Africa 106/8 in 20 overs (Keshav Maharaj 41, Aiden Markram 25; Arshdeep Singh 3/32, Deepak Chahar 2/24) lost to India 110/2 in 16.4 overs (KL Rahul 51 not out, Suryakumar Yadav 50 not out; Kagiso Rabada 1/16, Anrich Nortje 1/32) by eight wickets.

ALSO READ-India to open  World Cup campaign against Spain at Rourkela on Jan 13

Previous Story

Explosions near Nord Stream pipelines, gas leaks into Baltic Sea

Next Story

International Solar Alliance, ICAO sign MoU  

Latest from Sport

Table Shake-Up Looms

Manchester United’s Ruben Amorim is in need of a convincing performance when Sunderland visit Old Trafford on Saturday,,,reports Asian Lite News The Premier League heads into a potentially decisive weekend that could

‘It’s Mind Over Technique’

Gill said the quick white-ball to red-ball switch was more mental than technical, adding he focused on defence and getting in the zone….reports Asian Lite News India’s Test captain Shubman Gill, who

Para Glory for India

Paul Fitzgerald, head of World Para Athletics, and IPC president Andrew Parsons praised India’s recent growth in sports, including para sports….reports Asian Lite News India’s Paralympic movement has made rapid, huge strides

India Clinches Asia Cup with Win over Pakistan

The crafty troika of Kuldeep, Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy ran riot by sharing eight wickets as reckless aerial shots led to Pakistan’s dramatic slide….reports Asian Lite News Under immense pressure, left-handed

Monika Rules the Bids

Monika, who went unsold in last season’s auction, saw a remarkable turnaround in her fortunes as she became the costliest Indian player of the auction…reports Asian Lite News Indian midfielder Monika emerged
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Indian, South African Navy ink pact to boost submarine rescue ops

The Implementing Agreement underscores a shared commitment to maritime safety

Xi Jinping: China-South Africa Ties Hold Global Influence

Chinese President made the remarks when jointly meeting the press