Thanks for tuning into Sportstar's live coverage of the first T20I of the five-match series between India and South Africa. This was Nihit Sachdeva taking you through the action as it unfolded at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
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South Africa looked down and out at the halfway stage of its chase before Miller and van der Dussen turned it around. India's 12-match winning streak in T20Is comes to an end. The next T20I will be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Sunday.
SA 212/3 in 19.1 overs: FOUR!!! Reverse sweep from Rassie van der Dussen on the first ball to finish things off. This is highest successful run chase in T20Is for South Africa. It's previous best came way back in 2007, during its first group match against West Indies in the inaugural T20 World Cup at home.
Chahal to bowl the final over.
SA 208/3 in 19 overs: Only one run off the first three balls. Harshal appeals for LBW as van der Dussen goes on one knee and tries to sweep it over fine leg but misses the ball. Pant takes the DRS. No spike on the ultra-edge but hawk-eye shows 'umpire's call' on impact. Miller and van der Dussen had stolen two leg byes in the process. FOUR!!! Rassie van der Dussen mistimes the pull but such has been his luck that it goes between Pant and short third man for a boundary.
Harshal to bowl the penultimate over of the innings.
SA 200/3 in 18 overs: SIX!!! In the slot from Bhuvneshwar as he misses the yorker and Miller swings it between mid-wicket and long on. WIDE! Bhuvneshwar tries to keep the ball out of Miller's reach but ends up bowling way outside off. Pant appeals for caught-behind and uses the DRS. The ultra-edge shows no spike. SIX! Russie van der Dussen goes down on one knee and hits it way over cow corner. This has been an unbelievable partnership for the Proteas. FOUR!! Rassie van der Dussen throws his arms at a wide one and manages to get the ball to go over point for four. FOUR!!! Bhuvneshwar comes round the wicket, bowls a slower one but the ball takes the toe end of Rassie van der Dussen and past Pant for another boundary. Another 22-run over.
South Africa needs 34 runs off 18 balls.
SA 178/3 in 17 overs: SIX!!! Rassie van der Dussen moves across to the off stump, goes on one knee and turns Harshal's attempted wide yorker into a full toss - over long-on for a maximum. SIX!!! Harshal misses his length again as he bowls another full toss, this time on the leg side and van der Dussen swings it behind square. FOUR!!! What an over this is turning out to be! Rassie van der Dussen moves to 46 as he hits one wide of deep mid-wicket. SIX!!! Fifty for Rassie van der Dussen as he pulls a short one from Harshal into the stands on the leg side. Twenty two runs off the over.
SA 156/3 in 16 overs: DROP!!! Slow and short from Avesh, van der Dussen pulls it straight to Shreyas Iyer at deep midwicket who drops a dolly. FOUR!! Avesh comes round the wicket, bowls into Miller's body but it is not short enough. Miller pulls it expertly in the deep square leg region. Still, a decent over in the context of the game for India as only eight come off it.
Avesh Khan to bowl his final over.
SA 148/3 in 15 overs: FOUR!! David Miller, who had a great IPL 2022 for Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans, is keeping South Africa in this game. He hits it over mid-wicket to get four runs. SIX!!! Miller thrashes it way over long-off for a huge six. A single of the final ball helps Miller complete his fifty off just 22 balls.
India is one over behind the required over rate. Here's what happens in case India fails to bowl the first ball of the final over in stipulated time:
SA 134/3 in 14 overs: FOUR! Avesh did extremely well to give away just three off the first five but on the final ball, missed the yorker allowing van der Dussen to get underneath it and slam it straight down the ground for a four. Moreover, it turned out to be a no ball but van der Dussen could only take a single off it.
SA 125/3 in 13 overs: FOUR!! Too short from Axar and Miller hits it through the covers for four. SIX!!! Miller steps out to the pitch of the ball and lofts it over long off for a massive six. SIX!!! Miller goes on the backfoot and hits it way over mid-wicket for another maximum. Nineteen off the over.
SA 106/3 in 12 overs: Four singles off the first four deliveries of Harshal's second over. FOUR!! Miller gets some bat on the wide yorker and pierces the gap between short third man and backward point. SIX!!! On the pads from Harshal and Miller flicks it over deep square leg for a maximum.
SA 92/3 in 11 overs: Six singles off Axar's third over. India tightening the screws on South Africa.
Drinks break
SA 86/3 in 10 overs: Avesh Khan concedes just four. South Africa needs 126 runs in 60 balls.
Avesh Khan to bowl his second over.
SA 82/3 in 9 overs: SIX!!! Big full toss from Axar and Russie van der Dussen duly dispatches the ball over deep-midwicket and into the stands. OUT!!! De Kock departs after his slog sweep lands into Ishan Kishan's hands at deep square leg who balances himself perfectly close to the boundary rope. David Miller is in.
SA 72/2 in 8 overs: Three dot balls to start the over. Big improvement from the first over. FOUR!!! Doesn't last too long though as van der Dussen shifts to backfoot and cuts it perfectly for a boundary. De Kock takes a single on the last ball of the over.
Chahal back for a second over.
SA 67/2 in 7 overs: Tidy first over from Axar. Just six off it.
End of powerplay and Pant introduces the left-arm spin of Axar Patel.
SA 61/2 in 6 overs: De Kock tucks it to point for a single and gives strike back to Pretorius who looks in great touch. OUT!!! Gem of a slower ball from Harshal completely deceives Pretorius to hit the middle and off stumps. Big wicket for India as Pretorius was looking dangerous. Rassie van der Dussen is the new batter in. Excellent over from Harshal - just one off it plus a wicket.
Harshal Patel with the ball in hand.
SA 60/1 in 5 overs: SIX!!! Pandya bowls one into the body and Dwaine Pretorius swings his bat hard to reap the reward - a maximum. SIX!!! Two in two for Pretorius and this one was even batter as he held his shape and flicked the length ball off the pads. Fifty up for the Proteas in no time. SIX!!! Third six of the over for Pretorius, this time long over cow corner.
Hardik Pandya to bowl.
SA 42/1 in 4 overs: SIX!!! Monstrous hit from Pretorius who goes on one knee and slaps it way over cow corner. FOUR!!! De Kock sweeps, does not get the connection right but enough to reach the boundary rope. FOUR!!! Another boundary from de Kock to finish a productive over for the Proteas.
Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal to bowl inside the powerplay.
SA 26/1 in 3 overs: OUT!!! Sensational catch low in front from Pant after Bhuvi found the outside edge of Bavuma's bat. Pretorius is the new batter in. FOUR!!! Beautiful backfoot punch from Pretorius finds the gap between fielders inside the circle on the off side. Successful over for Bhuvneshwar and India.
SA 22/0 in 2 overs: Two dot balls before Avesh sprays one down the leg side which goes through Pant's gloves as the South African openers steal a bye along with the wide. FOUR!! Bavuma flicks one over square leg. FOUR!!! A bit of improvisation from Bavuma as he goes down on one knee and scoops it behind. FOUR!! De Kock hits a glorious boundary over backward point. Fifteen from Avesh's first over. Expensive.
Avesh Khan, right-arm pacer, from the other end.
SA 7/0 in 1 over: De Kock tucks it to point and opens South Africa's account with a single off the second ball. FOUR LEG BYES!! Vicious inswinger from Bhuvneshwar, Bavuma misses it completely the ball takes a deflection off his thigh and goes between keeper Pant and first slip for a boundary. Seven off the first over.
Bavuma and de Kock to begin the South African chase. Bhuvneshwar Kumar with the ball in hand for India.
IND 211/4 in 20 overs: OUT!!! Short and wide from Nortje, Pant reaches for it and hits hard but the ball goes only as far as Rassie van der Dussen at sweeper cover. Pant goes for 29 off 16. Dinesh Karthik comes in. Karthik opens his account with a single off the second ball he faces. Brilliant over from Nortje so far. SIX!! Neither too short, nor too high and perfectly in the slot for Pandya who powers it over the fielder at long on. Pandya and Karthik steal a couple off the last ball. This is India's highest total against South Africa in T20Is.
IND 202/3 in 19 overs: SIX!!!! Hardik Pandya is back and how! A slower one from Rabada but Pandya was ready for it as he smashed it over long on. Five runs including a wide off the next four balls from the South African pacer. FOUR!!! Great yorker from Rabada but Pandya somehow gets an inside edge that goes behind the wicket for a boundary and takes India past 200.
Rabada to bowl his final over.
IND 187/3 in 18 overs: FOUR!!! Low full toss on the pads from Parnell and Pandya calmly plays it over mid-wicket. SIX!! Pandya didn't get the perfect connection on the pull and it still went over long-on for a 76m six. Thirteen off Parnell's final over.
IND 174/3 in 17 overs: OUT!!! Pretorius deceives Iyer with a slower one. Iyer was already into the shot but the ball arrived just a little later and hit the off stump. Big wicket for the South African team at this time. Hardik Pandya comes in. SIX!!! Pretorius misses the length and pays the price for it as Rishabh Pant bludgeons the full-pitched ball over the bowler's head. SIX!!! Slower one from Pretorius but Pant hits it with such brute force that the ball goes past a diving David Miller at long on to go for a maximum. FOUR!!! Pant hits one through the covers to keep the momentum going for the men in blue. Eighteen off it.
IND 156/2 in 16 overs: FOUR!!! A release shot for Pant as Parnell bowls a full toss while going for the yorker. The left-hander times the ball perfectly and beats the fielder at long on. Another tight over for the Proteas - Parnell concedes just six.
IND 150/2 in 15 overs: An economical over from Nortje. Just five off it.
IND 145/2 in 14 overs: Comedy of errors. Pant could have departed without facing a ball on his captaincy debut. Iyer played the ball to midwicket, Pant took off at the non-striker's end before realising that the run wasn't on and started to return. He first collided with Rabada before having another collision with Stubbs who threw the ball over the fielder's head, who was backing up at the stumps. FOUR!!! Iyer makes room for himself and sends the short-pitched delivery over mid off. Eight off it.
Rabada back for his third over.
IND 137/2 in 13 overs: Back to back SIXES from Ishan Kishan as Maharaj bowls full and right into his arc. Kishan happily accepts the gifts and dispatches both balls way over the fielder in the deep. Kishan follows it up with back to back FOURS to quickly move to 76. OUT!! On the previous ball, Kishan used the DRS successfully to overturn the LBW decision given against him. However, he did not last long as on the very next ball, he hit one straight down Tristan Stubbs' throat at long-on to depart for 76.
IND 117/1 in 12 overs: Just five off Pretorius' second over.
IND 112/1 in 11 overs: MISS!!! Maharaj lures Iyer out with the flight, beats him with the turn but de Kock makes a mess of an easy stumping. Iyer survives. FIFTY!!! Kishan completes his half-century in style as he blasts the ball over deep midwicket. DROP!!! Kishan went for the same shot again only to get a top edge on the ball but there was some confusion between the South African fielders and Kishan gets a new life.
Keshav Maharaj back into the attack after an expensive first over of the innings.
Drinks break
IND 102/1 in 10 overs: SIX!!! Shreyas Iyer trying to unsettle Shamsi as he again comes down the pitch and muscles the ball to go over a diving fielder at long on. SIX!!! Iyer hits it with the turn and the ball sails over long on for another maximum. Iyer takes a single at mid-wicket to bring 100 for India.
IND 87/1 in 9 overs: FOUR!!! Poor first ball from the tall South African as he bowls short and wide, Kishan throws his arms at it and beats the fielder at point. Decent recovery from Pretorius as four singles come off the next four. FOUR!!! Kishan is in full flow now as he capitalises on the full length ball and slams it straight down the ground to move to 44.
Another change - right-arm pacer Dwaine Pretorius to bowl his first over.
IND 75/1 in 8 overs: SIX!!! It was turning out to be a decent over as only four runs had come off the first three balls from Shamsi but Iyer said enough is enough as he came down the pitch and slapped one over long on. Twelve off the over.
Chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi to begin his spell.
IND 63/1 in 7 overs: SIX!!! Short and on the leg side from Parnell, Gaikwad swings his bat so hard that the ball goes through Pretorius' hands at fine leg for a maximum. WICKET!!! Parnell follows Gaikwad (23 runs off 15 balls) who tries to make room for himself, fails to make the right connection and South African skipper Bavuma takes a simple catch at mid-wicket. Shreyas Iyer is the new batter in and he opens his account with a single straight away. FOUR!!! Short and well outside off from Parnell, Kishan lashes at it and beats a diving Rabada in the deep.
IND 51/0 in 6 overs: SIX!!! One of the flattest sixes ever comes off Gaikwad's bat as Nortje pitches one short on the leg side. FOUR!! Kishan steers one down to third man using the pace of Nortje and beats Shamsi who gave up pretty quickly. FOUR!!! Kishan hits a glorious drive through the covers for four as fifty comes up for India.
IND 36/0 in 5 overs: Welcome back to T20 internationals, Wayne Parnell. Just one off the left-arm pacer's first over.
Wayne Parnell, left-arm pacer, to bowl his first T20I over for the national side in five years.
IND 35/0 in 4 overs: Two singles off the first three deliveries. FOUR! Rabada tries to go for the yorker and ends up bowling a gentle full toss to Kishan who drives it back past him. WIDE!! South African pacers unable to make good use of the conditions as this time, Rabada sprays one on the off side. FOUR!!! Unfortunate for Rabada as he had absolutely outfoxed Kishan with the length and swing but the ball took the outside edge and went for a four at third man.
Rabada back for another.
IND 24/0 in 3 overs: Nortje unable to control the movement on offer as the ball goes out of a diving Quinton de Kock's reach on the off side as the Indian openers steal a bye. SIX!!! Short-pitched delivery from the Proteas pacer, Ruturaj goes for the pull and the top edge goes all the way for a maximum over fine leg. Gaikwad takes a couple at backward square leg off the final delivery.
Change in bowling straight away as Bavuma introduces the express pace of Anrich Nortje to replace Maharaj.
IND 15/0 in 2 overs: Gaikwad pushes the ball to the right of mid-on and opens his account with a single. On the pads from Rabada and Kishan plays it to deep fine leg to take one. Tidy over from the pacer as only two runs come off it.
Rabada to Gaikwad.
IND 13/0 in 1 over: Ishan Kishan on strike. FIVE WIDES! Unbelievable turn on the second ball of the match itself as it goes down the leg side for five wides. FOUR! Outside edge brings first runs of the bat for Kishan and India. FOUR!! Kishan slaps one through deep extra cover. Expensive over for Maharaj and South Africa.
Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad to open the innings for the men in blue. Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj to bowl the first over for South Africa.
Live action now.
6:56 PM: What do you think?
6:45 PM: This is what they are fighting for
6:35 PM: Playing XIs
India: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(c), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan
South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Temba Bavuma(c), Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje
Aiden Markram unavailable for selection after testing positive for COVID-19.
6:30 PM: TOSS - Temba Bavuma wins the toss and South Africa will bowl first.
6:20 PM: Rishabh Pant on Indian captaincy, working with Hardik Pandya and coach Rahul Dravid
6:10 PM: Head-to-head record: Matches played - 15, Matches won by India - 9, Matches won by South Africa - 6
MATCH PREVIEW
IND v SA: World record beckons as T20 cruise continues
By Abhishek Mukherjee
Armed with a new set of skilful T20 players after an exacting IPL sojourn and with a new person at the helm – Rishabh Pant – India resumes its quest to firm up a solid group of players for the T20 World Cup. Pant was appointed captain for the T20 series against South Africa with just a day to go for the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Thursday. K. L. Rahul and Kuldeep Yadav were ruled out of the five-match series due to injuries at training.
Journalists were left waiting for an hour for a scheduled press conference at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Wednesday and it was Pant, the new captain, who arrived amid claps just minutes after he was handed his role.
“It's a very good feeling. Didn't come in very good circumstances, but at the same time I'm feeling happy. I would like to thank the BCCI for giving me this opportunity to lead the Indian side. I'll try to make the most of it,” Pant said.
Despite the fresh faces and a new leadership group – Hardik Pandya has been appointed vice-captain – India will be favourite to win and thereby make a new world record of most consecutive wins in T20Is, having won 12 on the trot – a run that dates back to the group stage of the T20 World Cup in the UAE. All members of the squad are potential match winners in the format and have been productive in their respective roles in IPL 2022.
The series ahead, then, serves to broaden the pool of players primed to fulfil their roles for India. Some of the new stars – alongside some not-so-new stars making a comeback based on their IPL performances – may even make a solid case for a more permanent role in the team.
The good news for India is that Hardik Pandya is not only fully fit and bowling regularly but also in great form with the bat. This series gives Hardik, now the second in command, a nice warm-up and a chance to align with the team management's plans and expectations before the T20 World Cup. It is also a chance for Yuzvendra Chahal to cement his place in the playing eleven and be an automatic choice for the marquee tournament later this year. If not for the injury to his right hand while batting in the nets here, Kuldeep also had a great opportunity to gain prominence in India colours again. Both spinners excelled in the IPL, but the IPL was especially cathartic for Kuldeep, whose performances across formats since the 2019 World Cup had been on the decline.
Among fast bowlers in the squad, Umran Malik, who bowled with oomph in the IPL, and Arshdeep Singh may not be given a chance to play straightaway. Head coach Rahul Dravid on Tuesday suggested that Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Avesh Khan may be the first three choices. With Hardik as the all-rounder, India may go in for two seamers and two spinners. After his exploits with the bat for Royal Challengers Bangalore – a batting average of 55 and a strike-rate of 182 – Dinesh Karthik is likely to find a place in the lower middle-order.
South Africa is also full of players capable of winning matches on their own. Many of them were part of the IPL and are familiar with the Indian players. The hot weather won't be a problem either. But having not played a single T20 since the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, it won't be easy for them to perform symbiotically as a group in the format after very quickly.
David Miller, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will be raring to have a go at the Indians, but the fact that their only spinners in Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj haven't played much in the last two months tilts the scales in the home team's favour.
India can easily be surprised, however. The last time it played a T20 at the Feroz Shah Kotla grounds, in November, 2019, it lost to Bangladesh. Bangladesh had seemed better prepared for that game as they bowled with a plan and curtailed the run-scoring by consistently bowling back of a length and dishing out the slower delivery. India may take lessons from that and plan well for a track known to be low and slow. Bowling back of a length rather than full could be a good strategy here as the straight boundaries are very short.
The Indians will be keen on redeeming themselves, too, in white-ball cricket after having suffered a 3-0 loss under Rahul's captaincy earlier this year in South Africa.
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