Led by a brilliant century by Sanju Samson and impressive bowling, India outclassed South Africa in the first T20I of the four-match series in Durban on Friday, November 8. Suryakumar Yadav’s Indian team defended 202 without much of a hiccup with the bowlers doing just enough despite some late fireworks by the Proteas batters. The Men in Blue won the match by 61 runs to go 1-0 up in the series.
It was a record-breaking show by wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson, who became the first Indian batter to score centuries in back-to-back T20I innings. Samson’s 50-ball 107 helped India make 202 which could have been much more if not for the late collapse. India lost six wickets for 35 runs in the later part of the innings. They could have made something in the range of 230-240 but late dismissals cost them big.
In the second innings, the Indian bowlers were right on the money. Arshdeep Singh got the wicket of South Africa captain Aiden Markram in the first over after two fours. Avesh Khan came in and struck in the third over to remove the in-form Tristan Stubbs in the fourth over. Ryan Rickelton was outdone by Varun Chakravarthy and the Proteas were at 44/3.
The dangerous pair of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller looked to bring the team back into the contest. They spent time on the crease and stitched a 42-run partnership but with the required rate going high, Klaasen holed one out to long-on. Miller was also dismissed soon for 18. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee sent some late blows. Coetzee smashed three sixes in his stroke-filled 11-ball 23, while Jansen also made 12.
But with the damage already done by the Indian bowlers, it was never going to be the day for South Africa after the wickets of Miller and Klaasen. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi starred with three wickets each as India won the game by 61 runs with ease. They are 1-0 up in the four-match series.
