Cuttack (Odisha) [India], December 9 : An all-round show from all-rounder Hardik Pandya on return and a fine show by pacers and spinners powered India to a 101-run win over South Africa in the first T20I at Cuttack on Tuesday.
India put up 175/6 in 20 overs, boosted by a swashbuckling 59* in 28 balls by Hardik Pandya. In turn, Proteas crumbled to heaps against a world-class Indian bowling and were skittled out for 74 runs in 12.3 overs. India are 1-0 up in the five-match series. It is South Africa's lowest T20I total.
Chasing 176, Proteas were off to a poor start as Quinton de Kock's poor T20I run continued, giving Abhishek Sharma an easy catch at slips. He was gone for a duck, with SA at 0/1 in 0.2 overs.
Tristan Stubbs, who looked in a good touch with two boundaries against wicket-taker Arshdeep Singh, gave the Indian left-armer his second scalp in the third over as he nicked the ball straight into hands of Jitesh Sharma for a 9-ball 14. South Africa were 16/2 in 2.3 overs.
Skipper Aiden Markram and Dewald Brevis tried to rebuild, with Markram collecting a four and a six, a remarkable wristy flick over deep mid-wicket in the fourth over, while Brevis launched Varun Chakravarthy for a four and six, taking the score to 40 in five overs.
However, Axar Patel uprooted Markram's stumps, sending him back for 14 in 14 balls, with a four and six. SA was 40/3 in 5.1 overs. Brevis ended the powerplay with a six over mid-on, with SA at 45/3 in six overs.
Proteas' downfall continued with Hardik Pandya getting a returning David Miller for just one and Varun Chakravarthy getting Donovan Ferreira caught behind by Varun for five in seven balls. SA was down to 50/5 in 7.2 overs.
Brevis continued to find boundaries nonetheless and was joined by Marco Jansen, who was making use of his long levers. However, Varun castled Jansen for a 12-ball 12, not letting the partnership prosper. SA was 68/6 in 9.5 overs.
Bumrah completed a century of wickets, removing a dangerous Dewald Brevis, Proteas' last ray of hope for 22 in 18 balls, with Suryakumar Yadav catching him at cover region and removed Keshav Maharaj in the same over. SA was 70/8 in 10.5 overs.
Axar got the scalp of Anrich Nortje for one. SA was 72/9 in 11.2 overs, just one wicket away from a humiliating loss.
Shivam Dube got the final wicket, removing Lutho Sipamla (2) with Abhishek taking an easy catch at slips. SA was all out for 74 runs in 12.3 overs.
Arshdeep, Bumrah, Varun and Axar got two wickets each, while Hardik and Dube got a wicket each.
Earlier, Hardik produced a superb rescue act to lift India to a competitive 175/6 against South Africa in the first T20I at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium on Tuesday.
Hardik, walking in at a challenging stage, smashed an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, hammering six fours and four sixes. Most of the batters did not get going on the tricky surface, but the all-rounder made batting look effortless, counter-attacking the South African bowlers with authority.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to field first. India suffered an early setback as vice-captain Shubman Gill once again disappointed, falling for 4 immediately after hitting a boundary off Lungi Ngidi. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, who looked in good touch, also departed soon in a similar fashion, giving Ngidi his second wicket as he walked back for 12.
Abhishek Sharma could not convert his start, dismissed by Lutho Sipamla for 17. Tilak Varma and Axar Patel then attempted to steady the innings, adding a 30-run stand before Varma fell for 26. During the knock, Varma also crossed the milestone of 1000 T20I runs, now tallying 1022 runs in 37 matches at an average of 46.45 and a strike rate of 143.74, including two centuries and four half-centuries.
Pandya arrived with India at 78/4 in 11.4 overs and immediately shifted gears. India reached the 100-run mark in 13.5 overs, and Axar was soon dismissed for 23 off 21 balls as Sipamla claimed his second wicket. Shivam Dube chipped in with 11 before being removed by Donovan Ferreira, while Jitesh Sharma remained unbeaten on 10 alongside Pandya.
Lungi Ngidi was the best bowler for the Proteas with his 3/31, apart from him, Sipamla scalped 2/38, and Donovan Ferreira grabbed 1/13 in his two overs.
Brief Scores: India: 175/6 (Hardik Pandya 59*, Tilak Varma 26, Lungi Ngidi 3/31) beat SA: 74 in 12.3 overs (Dewald Brevis 22, Tristan Stubbs 14, Jasprit Bumrah 2/17).
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