After thrashing the South Africa 5-1 in the ODI series, India started the T20I series with a bang by beating the hosts by 28 runs in the first of the three-match series at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar took career-best 5/24, his maiden five-for in T20Is, as South Africa could manage only 175/9 while chasing a 204-run target. Meanwhile, Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan struck a 39-ball 72 runs to play a solid hand and help India go past the 200-run mark. For the Proteas, Reeza Hendricks top scored with 70 off 50 balls.
The inexperienced South African line-up fell prey to India’s all-round show as skipper Virat Kohli will be happy to continue the momentum of the ODIs into the T20Is.
#TeamIndia win the 1st T20I by 28 runs.
1-0 up in the three-match T20I series.#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/60uU74zs8w
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 18, 2018
STAT ATTACK:
- Bhuvneshwar became the first Indian pacer to take five-wicket haul in T20Is
- This was India’s best ever T20I score against South Africa in T20Is
Proteas fall short in chase
In pursuit of 204 runs in 20 overs, Bhuvneshwar broke the opening stand in the third over by dismissing JJ Smuts for 14, and dismissed South Africa skipper JP Duminy in the fifth. The Proteas were reduced to 38/2 in five overs. Hardik Pandya got David Miller (9) as he too followed suit and the hosts were in a big trouble.
Hendricks and Farhaan Behardien (39) resurrected the innings with 81-run stand for the fourth wicket. Hendricks reached his maiden fifty off 37 balls to keep South Africa hopes alive.
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Runs | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Balls | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4/6 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Strike Rate |
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 70 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 50 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8/1 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 140.00 |
Spinner Yuzvendra Chahal broke the partnership when he dismissed Behardien, who was holed out at long-on by Manish Pandey, in the 15th over. Bhuvneshwar’s final over, the 18th, resulted in the fall of four Proteas wickets including a run out.
All of Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, Chris Morris and Dane Paterson fell in the late collapse.The hosts were reduced to 159/8 from 154/4 before the start of the over. That particular over literally ended the run chase for South Africa.
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Overs | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Runs | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Wickets | Â Â Â Â Â Â Economy |
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 24 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 5 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 6.00 |
India ride on Dhawan show
Earlier, southpaw Dhawan smashed a quick-fire fifty to help India post 203/5 against South Africa. Dhawan anchored the innings with a 39-ball 72 as India kept the scoring rate high from the start. Indians scored boundaries at will and from the word go. A total of seven sixes and 20 fours were scored in the India innings.
Rohit Sharma started the innings in style hitting a couple of sixes and a four off Paterson in the first over. But he edged one to the keeper off debutant pacer Junior Dala in the next over, after scoring a whirlwind 21 off just nine balls with the help of two sixes and two fours.
Veteran left-hander Suresh Raina then continued the momentum as the comeback man smacked Paterson for a six and a four in consecutive balls, before becoming Dala’s second victim in the fourth over. Raina contributed 15 off 7 balls as India reached 50-mark in 4.3 overs.
Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli maintained the scoring rate and took India to 78/2. India soon reached the 100-mark in record time in just 8.2 overs. In the tenth over, Tabraiz Shamsi trapped Kohli LBW to break the partnership. India skipper hit a six and two fours in his 20-ball 26 and added 59 runs for the third wicket with Dhawan.
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Runs | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Balls | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 4/6 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Strike Rate |
| Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 72 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 39 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 10/2 | Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 184.62 |
MS Dhoni scored a quick fire 16 off 11 as Manish Pandey (29*) and Hardik Pandya (13*) took India past the 200-mark.
The 2nd T20I is scheduled on February 21.