South Africa won with an unbeaten 131-run stand of just 63 balls. Following the power play, the visitors were put under pressure. With Van der Dussen playing dots after dots, the pressure mounted even more. Nothing, however, could stop Miller on the other end.
Source: BCCI
South Africa chased down India’s 211 with an unbeaten 131-run stand off just 63 balls as David Miller (64* off 31) and Rassie van der Dussen (75* off 46) put over an unbeaten 131-run stand off just 63 balls. They ended India’s quest for a record-breaking 13th straight win in T20I cricket by taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Quite the opposite, in fact. Miller had to help inform Rassie van der Dussen through a particularly shaky middle period in which the visitors needed 126 runs off the final ten. Miller hit a six and a four off Harshal Patel in the 12th over, then plundering 19 off the next over from Axar Patel, as Van der Dussen struggled with his timing. South Africa had struggled in the previous two overs, scoring only 25 runs between overs 6 and 10.
Miller, who added a six and a four off Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a 22-ball 50, let his partner find his hitting range. He eventually did, but not before a stroke of luck allowed him to do so, when Shreyas Iyer dropped a simple chance at deep mid-wicket. A chase of this magnitude required firepower from both ends, which van der Dussen provided after his reprieve. In an over, he hit Harshal Patel for three sixes and a four to cut the chase down to size. South Africa romped home with five balls to spare after 34 of 18 became 12 off 12.
Since Miller and van der Dussen were the focal points of the chase, South Africa benefited from a strategic move to promote Dwaine Pretorius to No.3. With a 13-ball 29, the all-rounder completely took out Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been bowled in the Power Play as a match-up ploy against Quinton de Kock. With Pretorius’ appearance, South Africa had 61 runs in the Power Play, ten more than India had when they were put in to bat.
Source: BCCI
India’s T20 batting showed a new side as they continued to attack throughout the innings. Each of the top five batted with a strike rate greater than 130, four with a strike rate greater than 150, and Hardik Pandya, returning to his finisher’s role, managed to strike at 250 in the death.
Despite looking scratchy on a pitch that was tacky at the start of play, being put in to bat, India got off to a flying start as Ishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad (23 off 15) smashed 51 runs in the Power play. The Indian batsmen, particularly Kishan, rode their luck to the hilt in the first 6-7 overs, with several edges flying down to the third-man boundary. They were also helped by the South Africans’ poor bowling. Gaikwad was the more aggressive of the two at first. During his 15-ball 23 before being dismissed by Wayne Parnell, the right-hander smashed three sixes.
Source: BCCI
South Africa did not relax after the fielding restrictions, as overs 6-10 yielded another 51 runs. Kishan and Shreyas Iyer were particularly effective in dispatching South Africa’s pair of left-arm spinners, with their combined five overs costing the visitors 70 runs.
Kishan was out for a 48-ball 76 after adding 80 with Iyer by the end of 13 overs. He handed the reins to Pant (29 off 16) and Pandya (31* off 12), who helped India post their highest score in the format against South Africa. It was insufficient against the hitting prowess of Miller and van der Dussen.
