South Africa has moved one step closer to securing a spot for themselves in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup.In Perth, after getting off to a rough start, they were able to rebound and catch up to India’s score of 133.
India suffered their first defeat of the competition with this result.
In a match where pace was the deciding factor on a bouncily Optus Stadium deck, the Proteas came out on top with a victory by five wickets and two balls to spare.
The seamer Lungi Ngidi (4-29 off four) was the most effective player in the first innings. He got both openers out of the game by striking twice in his first over.
During the power play, both Rohit Sharma (15 off 14) and KL Rahul (9 off 14) were dismissed for a low score, bringing India’s score to 33-2.
Shortly after the fielding limitations were relaxed, Ngidi dismissed four of India’s top six batters, including the illustrious Virat Kohli (12 runs off 11 balls) and the dangerous Hardik Pandya (2 runs off 3 balls).
In the seventh over, Kohli blasted back-to-back fours, but he was unfortunately out when he hit one down fine leg fielder Rabada’s throat three balls later. This was Kohli Ngidi’s third victim of the over.
Rabada then took a screamer at the same place, diving forward at the correct time to dismiss Deepak Hooda for a third-ball duck off Anrich Nortje. This brought a stop to Deepak Hooda’s innings.
Suryakumar Yadav’s innings-turning performance of 68 off 40 balls helped his team recover from the precarious position they were in at 49-5 and go to 133-9.Yadav was the only Indian player who was able to cope with South Africa’s blistering pace assault. He played some spectacular strokes on his route to a half-century off just 30 balls.
Left-handed bowler Wayne Parnell, who had a score of 3-15 off four, did most of his damage late in the game and claimed the prized scalp of Yadav.A shaky beginning for South Africa, The manhunt for the fugitive began in terrifying way for South Africa.
In the second over, Arshdeep Singh took the wickets of their opener Quinton de Kock (1 run off 3 balls) and the player who made the century in the last match, Rilee Rossouw (0 runs off 2 balls).
Before Rossouw was out leg before wicket according to a successful review, De Kock was out thanks to a superb catch in the slips by KL Rahul.
Dinesh Karthik, the gloveman, was able to catch a Mohammed Shami delivery after the captain Temba Bavuma scored 10 out of 15 runs. Bavuma appeared to be off his game.
Aiden Markram, who was dropped on 35, rode his luck to register a vital half-century before David Miller (59 not out of 46), who sealed the job. Aiden Markram scored 52 runs off 41 balls. David Miller scored 59 runs without being out.
They got off to a sluggish start and were one stage behind at 3-40 after ten balls before picking up a few gears in the last ten and putting on 76 from 60 balls.
Miller scored 59 runs not out and Markram scored 52 runs; Arshdeep took two wickets as South Africa defeated India 133 for 9 by five wickets. India’s Suryakumar scored 68 runs; Ngidi took four wickets and Parnell took three.
