Online Reporter
QUINTON DE KOCK blazed a stunning 90 from just 46 balls to lead South Africa to a daunting total of 213-4 on a perfect batting pitch before the bowlers completed a fine comeback for the tourists dismissing India for 162 to complete a 51-run victory in the second of five T20 Cricket Internationals at the Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium in Chandigarh on Thursday night. It was a remarkable turnaround for the tourists who were humiliated by 101 runs in the first game just two days earlier after being bowled out for 74, their lowest total in the format. Ottneil Baartman led the bowling counter-attack with a well-deserved return of 4-24 from his four overs.
De Kock made a flying start with a pair of early, legside sixes against new-ball bowler Arshdeep Singh and even included a slog-swept maximum against fellow new ball bowler, Jasprit Bumrah and never looked back. India’s run chase stumbled immediately when Shubman Gill edged his first ball from Lungi Ngidi (2-26) to Reeza Hendricks at slip — a classic test match dismissal — and captain Suryakumar Yadav (5) edged a perfect away swinger from Marco Jansen (2-25) to De Kock. Opener Abhishek Sharma (17) chased a wide Jansen delivery to give de Kock another catch and when Axar Patel, promoted to number three, was caught low down at extra cover by Hendricks of Ottneil Baartman, India were reeling at 67-4 in the eighth over. Tilak Varma blasted 62 from 34 deliveries to try and keep India in the game but Hardik Pandya produced one of his notoriously curious ‘go-slow’ innings with 20 from 23 balls — with 15+ runs per over required — before slapping Lutho Sipamla (2-46) to Dewald Brevis at long on.
Earlier de Kock reached 50 from a mere 26 balls with four sixes and fours applying unrelenting pressure on all of the bowlers who had no answer to his array of shots on both sides of the wicket. Left-armer Arshdeep suffered a cruel meltdown in his third over, the 11th of the innings, when de Kock’s assault caused him to bowl an astonishing seven wides in a 13-ball over which cost 18 runs and proved that even the best, most experienced bowlers can wilt under pressure. — supersport.com
