In the second T20I between South Africa and India, part of the India tour of South Africa 2024, South Africa emerged victorious by three wickets at St George’s Park in Gqeberha, levelling the series at 1-1.
In a low-scoring yet thrilling encounter, the hosts held their composure to clinch a memorable win, led by standout performances from both bat and ball.
South Africa won the toss and elected to field, making one change to their lineup by bringing in Reeza Hendricks in place of Patrick Kruger. India fielded the same XI that had featured in the previous match.
South Africa’s bowlers put on a disciplined display, disrupting India’s top order early on. India lost Sanju Samson (0), Abhishek Sharma (4), and Suryakumar Yadav (4) within the powerplay, leaving them struggling at 34/3. The subsequent batters, including Tilak Varma (20), Axar Patel (27), and Hardik Pandya (39*), found it challenging to build momentum on a tricky pitch. India’s innings ended at 124-6, a modest total shaped by contributions from several South African bowlers. Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Andile Simelane, Aiden Markram, and Nqabayomzi Peter each claimed a wicket, showcasing a well-rounded bowling effort from the hosts.
In response, South Africa’s chase got off to a cautious start. Arshdeep Singh provided India with an early breakthrough by dismissing Ryan Rickelton (13). However, India’s spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi applied further pressure, keeping the scoring rate in check. Chakaravarthy’s spell was particularly impactful as he picked up a career-best 5-wicket haul, removing key players like Markram (3), Hendricks (24), Jansen (7), Heinrich Klaasen (2), and David Miller (0), finishing with remarkable figures of 5/17.
Despite Chakaravarthy’s heroics, South Africa managed to keep their composure under pressure. Tristan Stubbs and Coetzee formed a crucial partnership. Together, they crafted a game-changing 42-run stand off 20 balls, guiding South Africa over the line with an over to spare. This victory ended India’s 11-match T20I winning streak, which had begun on July 11, 2024. Notably, Chakaravarthy’s 5/17 became the best bowling figures in a T20I defeat for a bowler from a full-member nation.
With this result, the series is now squared at 1-1. Tristan Stubbs was awarded Player of the Match for his unbeaten 47 off 41 balls, which proved instrumental in South Africa’s successful chase.
Scorecard:
India: 124-6, Overs 20, Hardik Pandya 39*, Aiden Markram 1/4
South Africa: 128-7, Overs 19, Tristan Stubbs 47*, Varun Chakaravarthy 5/17