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India wins first T20I, annihilates South Africa by 8 wickets

Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar wrought chaos with the new ball as India cruised to an eight-wicket victory against South Africa in the opening Twenty20 international on Wednesday.

South Africa rallied from 9-5 in 2.3 overs to register 106-8 at the opening of the three-match series in Thiruvananthapuram after India decided to field first on a seaming pitch.

India lost captain Rohit Sharma for a nought and star batsman Virat Kohli for three runs before completing their goal with 20 balls to spare and taking a 1-0 lead.

KL Rahul (51) and Suryakumar Yadav (50) put on an undefeated 93-run collaboration to finish the chase as India prepares for the T20 World Cup, which begins next month in Australia.

Despite losing speed bowler Jasprit Bumrah to “back trouble” before the start of the match, it was the bowling squad who set up the big win, with Chahar taking two and Arshdeep recording figures of 3-32 to spark India’s domination.

Keshav Maharaj scored 41 off 35 balls to enable South Africa bat the entire 20 overs and give their meager total some decency.

Chahar dismissed captain Temba Bavuma for a fourth-ball duck, while fellow opener Quinton de Kock pulled a delivery from left-arm quick Arshdeep onto his wickets.

Arshdeep got Rilee Rossouw caught behind for zero and then bowled David Miller the following ball, putting the Proteas in even more difficulties.

When Tristan Stubbs succumbed to Chahar in the third over, it was South Africa’s worst-ever beginning to a T20 international.

Aiden Markram (25) and Wayne Parnell (24) combined for 33 runs for the sixth wicket, halting India’s momentum.

Markram hammered three fours and one six before being pinned lbw by Harshal Patel as India successfully appealed the first verdict of the on-field umpire.

Parnell was out in the 16th over, but Maharaj held his own until the last over, when Patel took his second wicket.

In response, India battled to 17-1 in the first six overs, with Kagiso Rabada dismissing Rohit and then losing Kohli, who was taken behind off fast bowler Anrich Nortje.

Suryakumar calmed the crowd down with two sixes, including a fortuitous one with an edge that soared over deep third man.

Suryakumar, who smashed five fours and three sixes in his 33-ball performance, faced the bowlers alongside Rahul, who stood firm to hit the clinching six, as the two went about the pursuit with surgical accuracy.

South Africa will be hoping to put Thiruvananthapuram and their striking disaster in the first T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium behind them as they make their way to Guwahati, hoping to avoid a repetition in the second encounter against India on Sunday.

Final Scores

South Africa- 106/8 [Maharaj 41, Markram 25, Parnell 24, Singh 3/24, Chahar 2/24, Patel 2/26]

India- 110/2 [KL Rahul 51*, Yadav 50*, Rabada 1/16, Nortje 1/32]

India win by 8 wickets, take series lead 1-0

Arshdeep Singh, Man of the Match said: “Have been thinking about the Man of the Match speech and was excited. There was a lot of help from the surface, and Deepak Chahar set the tone and I just wanted to execute the plans. Loved the wicket of David Miller, he was expecting the outswinger, but I got that to swing in. So that was great. We wanted to take Keshav Maharaj’s wicket, but he batted well. We could have had a different plan but we won the match, and that’s what matters. Have trained hard at the NCA, and want to perform well going forward.”

Rohit Sharma, Indian Captain said: “When you play a game like that you learn a lot. It was nice to play a game like that. We knew there will be something for the bowlers, but not through the 20 overs we bowled. It was sticky, there was still dampness, and it stayed throughout. There was no sun so it makes it difficult to hit. Both teams were in the contest. We got wickets upfront, and that was the turning point. No matter what the conditions, you still have to execute your plans. When you swing the ball like that any batter will struggle. 107, we knew it was not going to be that easy. We got to respect the conditions at times, understand what shots can be played. We lost two wickets, but that partnership was crucial.”

Temba Bavuma, Proteas Captain said: “As a batting unit, we failed to apply ourselves, We weren’t able to adjust our plans. We saw what Rahul was able to do. We didn’t expect that, we practiced here two days, ago. We saw the wicket was spicy, but we didn’t expect it like that. You expected to hit through the line coming to India. Three seamers on that type of wicket you back yourself. To be defending that type of score, you always hope for a miracle. The bating we need to work , and give the bowlers something to defend. Guys like Parni, and Keshav, they showed good fight. The fight was on, but at the end of the day, there weren’t too many runs.”

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