India vs South Africa, 1st T20I Highlights: India won the toss and opted to field first against South Africa in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Rishabh Pant and Arshdeep Singh comes in for Hardik Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Jasprit Bumrah complained of back pain in during India’s practice session on Tuesday. The BCCI Medical Team assessed him and he is ruled out of the first T20I. Deepak Chahar replaces him. Yuzvendra Chahal is also out as Ravichandran Ashwin takes his place.
Not the smoothest of chases, considering there were only 107 runs to get but KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav did well to see India through. It wasn’t the easiest wickets to bat on as the green covering on the pitch clearly indicated. South Africa was reduced to 30 for five inside the PowerPlay but the South African pacers couldn’t replicate their Indian counterparts despite getting Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli early on. Spinners Shamsi and Maharaja also leaked runs, conceding 48 runs in 5.4 overs between them. That’s all from us for tonight! Join us for the second T20I on October 2 in Guwahati.
KL Rahul reaches a half century as well in the process. That is that for the evening, folks. Rahul and SKY’s half centuries show just how good the latter has been. While Suryakumar ends the match unbeaten on 50 off 33, Rahul is on 51 off 56 and his strike rate certainly improved a lot towards the end of this match. Not much of meaningful analysis you can do in this match considering the kind if pitch that was on offer.
Half century for Suryakumar Yadav!
Second consecutive fifty from SKY and this is certainly a special one. A tough surface to bat on, every single batter has struggled today but he has reached his half century in 33 balls.
Suryakumar Yadav (50 not out) and KL Rahul (51 not out) hit unbeaten half-centuries to power India to an eight-wicket win against South Africa in the first T20 International, here on Wednesday. Keshav Maharaj top-scored for South Africa with a 35-ball 41, while Aiden Markram and Wayne Parnell contributed 25 and 24 respectively as the visitors struggled due to some fine bowling from the Indians.
