In the second T20I of India’s tour of South Africa, the Men in Blue face off against the Proteas at St George’s Park in Gqeberha tonight, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM IST.
After a strong start in the series, India aim to extend their lead, while South Africa hope to level the score on home soil.
India kicked off the T20I series with a clinical performance, gaining an early advantage against the hosts. Having won the opening game, India will be eager to take a commanding 2-0 lead tonight. South Africa, however, will look to regroup and come back stronger in a bid to keep the series alive.
South Africa’s bowling unit has shown promise but lacks experience, especially with the absence of pace spearheads Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Their absence was evident in the first game, as the Proteas struggled to contain India’s batting lineup. As they head into the second match, the South African bowlers will need to step up if they hope to tie the series.
The Proteas’ batting lineup, featuring Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, and David Miller, fell short of expectations in the first game. Despite playing on home turf, they found themselves unable to counter India’s potent spin attack. Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy, India’s spinning duo, dominated the South African batsmen, taking three wickets each and making a significant impact on the game.
India, while dominant in many areas, have some concerns as well. Opener Abhishek Sharma has struggled for form recently, with a series of low scores. Despite a century against Zimbabwe earlier in the year, his inconsistency could become a point of discussion if he doesn’t find stability at the top. However, India is likely to retain their playing XI for the second match, giving Abhishek a chance to regain his form.
India’s middle order also faced a challenge, suffering a late collapse in the first match. After reaching a strong position at 166/2, they lost six wickets for just 36 runs, finishing at 202/8. This exposed the vulnerabilities in India’s middle and lower order, which will need to step up to avoid similar pitfalls in the upcoming game.
Youngster Tilak Varma showed potential with a quickfire 33 off 18 balls, but he’ll be under pressure to convert starts into significant scores. Captain Suryakumar Yadav, too, will be looking to make a mark after a subdued performance in the opening match. All-rounder Hardik Pandya’s below-par outing adds to India’s concerns, as he is a crucial player for both batting depth and bowling balance.
The pitch at St George’s Park has historically offered a fair contest between bat and ball, with both teams finding success when batting first or chasing. The average first innings score here is around 136, hinting at a balanced track.
Head-to-Head:
In head-to-head encounters, India lead with 16 wins to South Africa’s 11 out of the 28 matches played. India have also dominated T20Is on South African soil, winning seven out of the last 10 games. South Africa, however, will draw on the home advantage and look to improve this record tonight.
Where to Watch:
TV: Sports18
OTT: JioCinema