After a stellar performance against India during their heated second KFC T20 International match at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Tuesday, the Proteas will be looking to extend their lead and clinch the series against the cricket World Cup finalists.
Match one of the series was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rain in Durban on Sunday. South Africa will next meet the Indians at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
In what was a rain-affected match, Reeza Hendricks’ attacking intent with the bat together with three wickets by exciting prospect Gerald Coetzee helped the Proteas edge out India by five wickets.
The right-hander struck eight boundaries and a six in his 49 off 27 balls and was supported well by captain Aiden Markram (30) as the hosts hunted down a revised 152-run target in 15 overs with seven balls to spare.
Earlier Coetzee helped restrict the tourists to 180 for seven after the home side won the toss and elected to bowl first under murky skies in the Eastern Cape.
Marco Jansen (1/39) and Lizaad Williams (1/32) landed two early blows by dismissing India’s openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, respectively – both without troubling the scorers – before the middle order rallied.
Tilak Varma (29), captain Suryakumar Yadav (56 off 36 balls, 5 fours, 3 sixes) and Rinku Singh (68 off 39 balls, 9 fours, 2 sixes) all made key runs to get their side back on track.
Player of the Match Tabraiz Shamsi (1/18) and Coetzee did manage to strike before Ravindra Jadeja (19) added some late runs as the tourists reached 180 for seven when rain curtailed their innings after 19.3 overs.
After the DLS adjustment, South Africa’s top three came out firing to put India under the cosh. They were 96 for one at one stage in the eighth over, before some jitters saw the departures of their skipper and Hendricks together with Heinrich Klaasen (7).
David Miller powered on with 17 off 12 balls, with Tristan Stubbs (14*) and Andile Phehlukwayo (10*) then completing the job to put SA 1-0 up.
