Classy South Africa stun India in first Twenty20

Dharamsala, India: South Africa put on a thrilling batting display to brush apart India through seven wickets in the first Twenty20 fit in Dharamsala the day prior to this and seize the lead in the three-online game sequence.

In a excessive-scoring encounter played earlier than a sell-out crowd of 23,000 on the picturesque venue, the tourists chased down India’s difficult 199-5 with two deliveries to spare.

India’s innings after being despatched in to bat revolved round a fine 106 off sixty six balls with the aid of opener Rohit Sharma, ably supported by Virat Kohli’s 27-ball forty three.but the Proteas, helped via the Indian bowlers’ lack of ability to grip the ball within the evening dew, made gentle of the stiff target following a rip-roaring opening stand of 77 from fifty three balls between Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers.

Amla hit 36 off 24 balls and de Villiers contributed a customarily aggressive 51 from 32 deliveries that blanketed seven fours and a six.

India claimed three wickets for 15 runs to in the reduction of South Africa to 95-three, however JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien stepped in to hit a healthy-successful partnership of 105 that got here off just 55 balls.

Left-passed Duminy returned unbeaten on a 34-ball 68 that was studded with seven sixes, three off them from successive deliveries by means of left-arm spinner Axar Patel.Behardien chipped in with 32 now not out.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni talked about his team had adequate runs on the board, however the dew and a couple of high priced overs by using the bowlers proved costly.

“A ranking of 200 in a T20 game is a good one, we couldn't have anticipated greater,” referred to Dhoni. “but there were intervals when we conceded too many runs.

“The circumstances have been now not effortless for bowling. The execution had to be spot-on, but regrettably a few of our overs went for too many runs.”an skipper Faf du Plessis agreed the wet outfield in the nighttime session helped the batsmen.

“I suppose it did get a bit moist in opposition t the end,” he stated. “but what a fine game of cricket it was, with each side getting massive totals.“It become a superb innings from Rohit (Sharma) initially. however nowadays became a type of days when the bowlers have been beneath the pump. JP (Duminy) turned into extraordinary, he paced the innings so neatly with respectable support from Behardien.”
Sreenath Aravind, a 31-12 months-old left-arm seamer from Karnataka, made a forgettable overseas debut as he become hammered for forty four runs in three.four overs, together with a last-over six by Duminy.  In India’s innings, Sharma plundered 12 boundaries and 5 sixes in his maiden T20 century, exhibiting a unbelievable array of strokes all around the floor. Kohli grew to become the primary Indian batsman to ranking 1,000 T20 runs as he blazed his approach to a few sixes and a 4.
The pair placed on 138 off seventy four balls for the 2d wicket after Shikhar Dhawan become run out for three attempting a 2d run.

India have been coasting at one hundred sixty-1 within the 16th over earlier than the travelers hit returned with four wickets within the final overs.