SA vs IND, 2nd T20I: Varun Chakravarthy’s 5-17 goes in vain as South Africa pull off a stunning win. South Africa level 4-match series by 1-1.
Brief Scores: India 124/6 (Hardik Pandya 39 not out, Andile Simelane 1/20) lose to South Africa 128/7 (Tristan Stubbs 47 not out, Varun Chakravarthy 5/17) by three wickets.
South Africa fought back to win the second ODI against India at Gqeberha on Sunday and level the series 1-1. South Africa struggled at 86/7, chasing 125 for a win, but a 42-run stand for the eighth wicket between Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee took them home. The series is now levelled 1-1 with two matches to go.
Talking Point: Contributions from lower order made the difference
South Africa’s No 9 Coetzee made a vital contribution of 9-ball 19 not out to take the team’s home in the company of Stubbs (47 not out). The contribution from the lower order made a difference in the result. Their stand of unbeaten 42 runs came in just 20 balls in the death overs. In comparison, India could manage only 37 runs in the death overs with little contribution from the lower order, while Hardik Pandya played a lone hand with 39 not out. India’s lower-order – Arshdeep Singh (9.66), Ravi Bishnoi (7.00), Avesh Khan (13.50), and Varun Chakravarthy (0.00) – and their batting averages in T20Is do not inspire confidence, forcing Pandya to farm the strike, as India scored about seven runs per over in the last five overs.
Read More: SA vs IND, 1st T20I: Sanju Samson’s smashing 107 helps India get edge in the series
India stutters to 124/6
Asked to bat first, India had a horrible start to the innings, losing opener Sanju Samson for a three-ball duck. Samson, who had scored two tons in his last two innings, was bowled by Marcon Jansen. India soon slumped to 15/3 as the other opener, Abhishek Sharma, and captain, Suryakumar Yadav, fell cheaply against tight bowling and fielding from the South African pacers. Tilak Varma and Axar Patel then stitched a stand of 30 runs in 4 overs before the latter was unfortunately run out in the non-striker’s end after the ball deflected from the bowler’s hand to hit the stumps. Rinku Singh was also disappointed, miscuing a sweep to fall for 9. Hardik Pandya then anchored the innings to help India finish on 124/6, stitching a stand of 37 runs for the seventh wicket with Arshdeep Singh (7*). Pandya was the top-scorer for India with 39 not out.
Stubbs-Coetzee snatch victory
Chasing 125, South Africa reached 22 in 2.5 overs before opener Ryan Rickelton holed out in the deep off the bowling of Arshdeep Singh. Varun Chakravarthy came to the party, bowling South African skipper Aiden Markram with a wrong one for 3 in just the second ball of his spell. Reeza Hendricks then fell next, being bowled as he failed to read the googly from Chakravarthy. The spinner then took the next three wickets to fall as well. His fourth over saw Heinrich Klaasen holing out in the deep, while David Miller fell next ball bowled to a ball straightening up. It was Chakravarthy’s maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is. At 86/7, South Africa looked down and out, but a quick unbeaten stand of 42 runs between Tristan Stubbs and Coetzee took the team home with an over to spare. Stubbs ended with 41-ball 47 not out with 7 fours, while Coetzee made 9-ball 19 out with 2 fours and 1 six.
Read More: Sanju Samson stamps his authority, smashes second consecutive T20I hundred
Statistical Highlights from SA vs IND, 2nd T20I
- Sanju Samson was dismissed for a duck for the fifth time in his T20I career.
- India lost their first 3 wickets for 15 runs. This is their lowest team score at the fall of the third wicket in T20Is against South Africa.
- Andile Simelane took his first T20I wicket, dismissing India skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
- The seventh-wicket stand of 37* between Pandya & Arshdeep is the highest for this wicket for India against SA in T20Is.
- Marco Jansen bowled his first maiden in T20Is in 15 games.
- Varun Chakravarthy took his maiden five-wicket haul in T20Is.
- The loss ended India’s 11-match unbeaten streak in T20Is. They last lost to Zimbabwe in July 2024.
What’s next
The series is level at 1-1. The third match will be held at Centurion on November 13.
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