SKY-led India, SA level series

India made no changes to their playing eleven.

South Africa made three changes to the eleven that last played the Indians – Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, and Gerald Coetzee made way for Donovan Ferreira, Keshav Maharaj, and Twenty20 International debutant Nandre Burger.

On winning the toss, Aiden Markram, South Africa’s skipper, chose to field.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 62, and lost a couple of wickets.

Shubman Gill, who faced half-a-dozen balls, scored eight. His runs came by way of boundaries. Fifteen balls into the match, he was caught by Maharaj, who broke the 29-run stand.

The second-wicket pair didn’t get off the (Var)mark. Tilak, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. The next ball, he was caught by Markram off the bowling of Maharaj.

India scored 50 off 4.2 overs (27 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave South Africa no reason to be in seventh heaven.

Forty-six balls (7.3 overs) into the match, South Africa sought a bowling review. They challenged the decision for a wicket. Suryakumar Yadav, India’s skipper and the player of the match, was the batsman. It was struck down by South African umpire Allahudien Paleker.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 35 balls. While Yashasvi Jaiswal’s contribution to the partnership was 28, Suryakumar’s contribution to it was 21. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Nine overs into the match, the drinks break was taken. India had scored 83 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Jaiswal was batting on 44, Suryakumar was batting on 24.

Jaiswal’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries and a couple of sixes – came off 34 balls.

India scored 100 off 11.2 overs (69 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave South Africa no reason to be in seventh heaven.

Suryakumar’s half-century – which included a couple of boundaries and five sixes – came off 32 balls.

The third-wicket pair put on 100 off 63 balls. While Jaiswal’s contribution to the partnership was 43, Suryakumar’s contribution to it was 57. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a couple.

Jaiswal, whose 41-ball innings included the aforementioned number of boundaries, in addition to three sixes, eventually scored (Sham)sixty. Sixty-nine balls after Varma’s dismissal, he was caught by Reeza Hendricks. Tabraiz broke the 112-run partnership.  

India scored 150 off 15.2 overs (93 balls). South Africa had conceded eight extras at that point.

Sixteen overs into the match, there was the strategic timeout. India had scored 161 for the loss of three wickets at that point. While Suryakumar was batting on 83, Rinku Singh had scored a couple.

Rinku, whose 10-ball innings included a six, scored 14. Twenty-seven balls after Jaiswal’s dismissal, he was caught by the substitute, Stubbs. Burger broke the 47-run stand.

Suryakumar’s ton – which included seven boundaries and eight sixes – came off 55 balls.

He eventually scored 100 off 56 balls. Five balls after Rinku’s dismissal, he was caught by Matthew Breetzke. Lizaad Williams broke the six-run stand.

The sixth-wicket pair put on five. Ravindra Jadeja, who faced a couple of balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. A couple of balls later, Heinrich Klaasen and Williams ran him out.

Jitesh Sharma, who faced four balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. The next ball, he was dismissed hit wicket off the bowling of Williams.

Arshdeep Singh, who didn’t face a ball, was unbeaten, as was Mohammed Siraj, who faced a ball, scoring a couple.

India scored 200 off 20 overs (121 balls). South Africa had conceded nine extras at that point. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

India eventually scored 201 for the loss of seven wickets off 20 overs.

Markram bowled an over, conceding 15. He was wicketless, as was Andile Phehlukwayo, who bowled three overs, conceding 33.

Burger and Shamsi bowled four overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 39, the latter conceded 38.

Williams and Maharaj bowled four overs each, picking up two scalps apiece. While the former conceded 46, the latter conceded 26.

The first Powerplay of South Africa’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 42, and lost three wickets.

Breetzke, who faced three balls, scored four. His runs came by way of a boundary. Nine balls into the chase, he was caught by Mukesh Kumar, who broke the four-run stand.

The second-wicket pair put on 19. Hendricks, whose 13-ball innings included a boundary, scored eight. Eleven balls later, Siraj ran him out.

Klaasen, whose run-a-ball innings included a boundary, scored five. Fourteen balls later, he was caught by Rinku. Arshdeep broke the 19-run stand.

The fourth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Markram, whose 14-ball innings included three boundaries and a couple of sixes, scored 25. Three balls later, he was caught by Jaiswal off the bowling of Jadeja.

South Africa scored 50 off 7.5 overs (47 balls). India hadn’t conceded any extras at that point.

Between the first and the ninth over of the chase, the DRS wasn’t working.

Nine overs into the chase, there was the strategic timeout. South Africa had scored 66 for the loss of four wickets at that point. While David Millier was batting on 19, Ferreira had scored five.

Ferreira, whose 11-ball innings included a six, scored a dozen. Twenty-three balls after Markram’s dismissal, Kuldeep Yadav broke the 33-run stand.

Phehlukwayo, who faced three balls, didn’t get off the mark. An over later, Jadeja had a reason to be in seventh heaven – he caught him off his own bowling.

Maharaj, who faced three balls, scored a run. An over later, Kuldeep had a reason to be in seventh heaven.

Burger, who faced three balls, scored a run. Kuldeep had a reason to be in seventh heaven – he trapped him leg before wicket, breaking the five-run stand.

Eighty-one balls (13.3 overs) into the chase, India sought a bowling review. They challenged the decision for a wicket. The ninth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Williams, the batsman, faced a couple of balls, open his account. It was upheld by Paleker. He was trapped leg before wicket by Kuldeep.

Miller, whose 25-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and as many sixes, eventually scored 35. A couple of balls later, Kuldeep broke the one-run stand.

Shamsi, who faced a ball, scored a run. He was unbeaten.

India eventually conceded three extras. South Africa, who were bundled out for 95 off 13.5 overs, lost by 106 runs.

Varma bowled an over, conceding four. He was wicketless, as Siraj, who bowled three overs, including a maiden. He conceded 13.

Mukesh and Arshdeep bowled a couple of overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 21, the latter conceded 13.

Jadeja bowled three overs, conceding 25. He picked up two wickets.

Kuldeep, who bowled 17 balls, conceded as many. He picked up five scalps.

The three-match series was level 1-1.