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South Africa topped the table in Group 2 after a thrilling five-wicket win over India in the Super 12 stage at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at Perth Stadium on Sunday.
Middle-order batter Suryakumar Yadav smashed a brilliant 68 off 40 balls with six fours and three sixes to help India get to a decent total of 133/9 in 20 overs after Lungi Ngidi’s superb bowling performance with 4/29 from his four overs.
South Africa were in trouble early on in their innings as they were reduced to 24/3 in 5.2 overs. However, the batting duo of David Miller and Aiden Markram helped them recover by adding a 76 runs partnership off 60 balls for the fourth wicket to complete the chase in the final over with two balls to spare.
Undefeated South Africa go on top of the Group 2 table 🌟#T20WorldCup Standings 👉 https://t.co/TIZ6Sk3coG pic.twitter.com/LaqVN42rBT
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) October 30, 2022
After opting to bat first, India got off to a poor start with the South Africa quicks enjoying the pace and bounce in Perth. Pace-bowler Lungi Ngidi who replaced Tabraiz Shamsi in the playing eleven, sent back Indian skipper Rohit Sharma on 15 off 14 with a short ball while opener KL Rahul was dismissed on 9 off 14 in the same over, edging Ngidi to the slip cordon.
In-form batter Virat Kohli looked in good touch as he started his innings with a fine cover drive, followed by a flick, both for fours but he too got dismissed for 12 off 11 on the pull, top-edging Lungi Ngidi to Kagiso Rabada at deep fine leg.
Deepak Hooda who replaced Axar Patel in the playing eleven, fell to Anrich Nortje as India found themselves in a similar situation to that against Pakistan at 42/4 in the 8th over. In the next over, all-rounder Hardik Pandya was also dismissed on a short ball by Ngidi as Rabada took a brilliant catch diving to his front at deep fine leg to complete his second catch of the game. India lost half their side and were reduced to 49/5 in 8.3 overs.
However, Suryakumar Yadav once again came up to the rescue for India with a brilliant 68 off 40 balls which was his ninth T20I half-century this year as India ended with a total of 133/9 in 20 overs.
Chasing 134, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh sent back Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw, fresh off back-to-back T20I tons, in his first over.
There was no recovery early on for South Africa as captain Temba Bavuma’s struggles continued. Captain Temba Bavuma never looked comfortable at the crease as he was dismissed by Mohammed Shami in the final over of power-play, giving an inside edge to the keeper diving to his left.
At 24/3 in 5.4 overs, South Africa needed a strong recovery and Aiden Markram along with David Miller provided that with a crucial partnership of 76 runs off 60 balls for the fourth wicket.
Despite Markram finding boundaries, twice off Arshdeep and one against Hardik Pandya, India’s bowlers kept the run-rate tight as they reduced South Africa to just 40/3 in ten overs requiring 94 runs off the final 60 balls.
After the drinks break, Markram and Miller came up with positive intent and shifted their gears as the duo took 16 runs off Pandya in the 11th over. Both then attacked off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin too to get the required run rate down.
Markram was very lucky at 35 when a juggling Virat Kohli dropped a sitter at deep mid-wicket, leaving Ashwin shocked. In the next over, with a mix-up with Miller, Markram got another life when Rohit missed an easy underarm direct hit at the striker’s end, leaving the Indian skipper frustrated.
Markram completed a fine half-century, playing some well-timed shots along the way. His innings came to an end on 52 off 41 balls with six fours and a six when he mistimed a pull-off Pandya and was caught at deep mid-wicket in the 16th over.
However, Miller kept fighting till the end and smashed two consecutive sixes off Ashwin’s first two balls in the crucial 18th over to bring the run-rate down which eventually turned out to be the turning point of the game.
But Ashwin struck back in the same over by dismissing Tristan Stubbs lbw while trying to reverse-sweep. Miller then completed his half-century with a cracking cut through the third man off Shami in the 19th over.
South Africa needed six runs off the last over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Miller, now past his fifty, was off strike. However, with Miller back on strike, he scored a four off his gloves to a bouncer off Bhuvneshwar and then went on to play the winning shot by smashing a cut over cover as South Africa chased down the total with two balls to spare to top the table in Group 2.
This was India’s first loss in the tournament and they are now at the second position in the Group 2 points table with four points from three games.
Miller played an outstanding inning under pressure and remained unbeaten on 59 off 46 balls with four fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 128.26.
Lungi Ngidi was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant figures of 4/29 from four overs.
Brief Scores: India 133/9 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 68; Lungi Ngidi 4/29, Wayne Parnell 3/15) lost to South Africa 137/5 in 19.4 overs (David Miller 59 not out, Aiden Markram 52; Arshdeep Singh 2/25, Mohammed Shami 1/13) by five wickets.
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