Opener Quinton de Kock hit a 46-ball 90 to set up South Africa’s convincing 51-run win over India in the second T20 international and level the series on Thursday.
De Kock’s knock laced with five fours and seven sixes powered South Africa to 213-4 after being invited to bat first on the outskirts of Chandigarh.
South Africa bowled out India for 162 in 19.1 overs despite Tilak Varma’s valiant 62 off 34 balls as the visitors pulled one back after they lost the opener of the five-match series.
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The series is part of the build-up for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in February-March.
Medium-pace bowler Ottneil Baartman stood out with figures of 4-24. The left-handed de Kock set the tone for the big win after he put on 83 runs for the second wicket with skipper Aiden Markram, who made 29.
South Africa bounced back from their crushing defeat in the first match when the tourists crashed out to their lowest T20 total of 74 all out.
“Much better tonight,” said Markram. “Obviously we started off with a special knock from Quinny (de Kock) and some really good contributions at the end that got us to a really good total.”
Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy bowled opener Reezea Hendricks for eight on his first ball and later dismissed Markram after being hit for two sixes by the captain.
De Kock, who turns 33 on Wednesday, looked in control from the start as he hit left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh for two sixes in the bowlers’ first two overs.
The wicketkeeper-batter raised his 17th T20 half-century with a four off Hardik Pandya but missed out on his ton after being run out by his opposite number Jitesh Sharma.
– Gill’s golden duck –
Axar Patel removed Dewald Brevis for 14 before David Miller unleashed his fury with four boundaries off Jasprit Bumrah in a 15-run over and made an unbeaten 20.
Donovan Ferreira finished with a flourish in his unbeaten 30 as he hit Bumrah for two sixes in the 20th over.
In reply, Shubman Gill fell for a first-ball duck off Lungi Ngidi. Left-arm quick Marco Jansen took down Abhishek Sharma caught behind for 17 and India were in trouble when he had skipper Suryakumar Yadav out for five.
“Me, Shubman and few other batters should have taken it,” said Yadav. “I think it would have been a smart chase. But we will see what’s up for us going on in the next game.” Varma and Axar Patel attempted to hit back with a string of boundaries but Baartman broke through as India slumped to 67-4 inside eight overs.
Baartman cut short Axar’s knock on 21 off 21 balls with Hendricks taking a low catch at cover.
Varma kept up the charge and found support from Pandya and then Sharma but South Africa struck regular blows.
Lutho Sipamla sent back Pandya for 20 and Sharma for 27 as India’s chase fizzled out and Varma was the last man out off Ngidi.
The third match is on Sunday in the Himalayan town of Dharamsala.
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