IND vs SA 2nd T20I: Another defeat for India, 4 wicket loss for Pant & Co.
An explosive innings from Heinrich Klaasen (81) propelled South Africa to a four-wicket win over India in the second T20I of the five-match series at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday (June 12). It was a poor day for India on the field as they couldn’t do much with the bat on the hard surface and despite Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s heroics in the powerplay, they could not keep the pace and give the Proteas a 2-0 lead.
Chasing 149, South Africa got off to a poor start. Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave India the starting momentum by dismissing opener Reeza Hendrix for just four runs in the first over of the match. This brought all-rounder Dwayne Pretorius to the crease, who was sent in to deliver some big hits from his side. He could not walk for long.
After Kumar was dismissed for four in the third over, the pacer got the last laugh as he dismissed Pretorius for four when caught at backward square leg by batsman Avesh Khan. With this, Captain Temba Bavuma landed on the field. Doosan and Bevuma tried to rebuild things for their side but they could not continue for long as Kumar sent the struggling Dusan back to the pavilion after his off-stump was dismissed off 1 ball. With this, Kumar took his third wicket, sinking the Proteas at 29/3.
South Africa won the second T20I by 4 wickets and are now 2-0 up in the five-match series.
Scorecard – https://t.co/pkuUUB966c #INDvSA @Paytm pic.twitter.com/fwlCeXouOM
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 12, 2022
At the end of six overs, with Bavuma (20*) and Heinrich Klaasen (0*), South Africa were struggling at 29/3. India completely dominated the powerplay and were able to gain early momentum by limiting run flow and taking early wickets. Spin was introduced to the attack after the powerplay, with Yuzvendra Chahal coming in to bowl.
Thereafter, Klaasen and Bavuma began rebuilding the innings after three opening wickets. Klaasen particularly attacked the Indian bowlers, hitting Chahal for a four and a six in the seventh over and a six off Harshal in the next. With Bavuma (25*) and Klaasen (23*), at the end of 10 overs, South Africa stood 57/3. The Proteas still had a mountain to climb as they needed 92 runs in the last ten overs and three of their batsmen were gone.
The duo continued to rebuild after scoring 13 runs in the next over bowled by Hardik Pandya. Axar Patel’s next over proved costly as Klaasen dismissed him for 4,6,4. This over gave 19 runs and there was also a 50-run partnership between the two. Chahal was welcomed with a boundary in the next over by Bavuma, but Chahal got success off the very next ball, as the captain returned to the pavilion after scoring 35 runs in 30 balls. The hit on the middle stump also ended the 64-run stand between him and Klaasen.
Next up was an in-form David Miller. Soon, Klaasen completed his fourth T20I fifty in just 32 balls, his second against India. Klaasen continued to perform well even after his half-century. Miller also joined the party, hitting a huge six off Chahal in the 16th over. Klaasen added another to him in the same over.
In the end, Harshal Patel took the wicket of Klaasen in the last ball of the 17th over and dismissed him for 81 for 46. But it was too late for India as only five were needed from the last three overs. Kumar dismissed Parnell on the last ball of the 18th over, which was his fourth over of the match. The chase ended with the Proteas at 149/6 in 18.2 overs with Miller (20*) and Rabada (0*). Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the leading bowler for India with 4/13 in eight overs. Harshal Patel also got a wicket.
Earlier, Ishan Kishan, a knock by Shreyas Iyer, backed by a cameo from Dinesh Karthik, guided India to a respectable total of 148/6 in the first innings of the second T20I against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium on Sunday.
Result | #Proteas won by 4 wickets
Heinrich Klaasen’s career-best 81 off 46 balls propelled the team to victory in the second T20I as he chased down a target of 149 with 10 balls to spare #INDvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/rB7XfTPrGi
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 12, 2022
For South Africa, Enrique Nortje took two wickets while Kagiso Rabada, Wayne Parnell, Dwayne Pretorius and Keshav Maharaj took one wicket each. Opting to bat first, India got off to a terrific start with Kagiso Rabada sending Ruturaj Gaikwad back into the dugout. Fifth ball of the innings, with only three runs on the board. Shreyas Iyer came to the crease with Ishan Kishan and the duo tried to prop up the innings for some time and scored 42 runs in the powerplay. The Proteas found another breakthrough in the 7th over when Ishan was caught by Rasi van der Dussen off Enrique Nortje and was dismissed for 34 off 21 balls.
Shreyas was joined by skipper Rishabh Pant, who fell victim to Keshav Maharaj’s spell for five in the 10th over, taking India’s total to 68/3. After this, in the 13th over, Hardik Pandya was dismissed by Wayne Parnell. In the very next over, Dwayne Pretorius also showed the way to the dugout after Shreyas made 40 off 35 balls, leaving India at 98/5.
Akshar Patel and Dinesh Karthik shook hands at the crease but the pair could not last long as Nortje got them out in the 17th over. Harshal Patel comes to the crease and, with a strong stand with Karthik, changes the pace of the game. Karthik scored 31 off 21 balls while Harshal made 12 off 9 balls to take India’s total to 148/6. First innings.
Brief scores: India 148/6 (Shreyas Iyer 40, Ishan Kishan 34, Enrique Nortje 2/36) lost to South Africa 149/6 in 18.2 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 81, Temba Bavuma 35, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4/13).