Team India succumbed to a 5-wicket defeat against South Africa in a rain-curtailed second T20I in Gqeberha. Chasing a revised target of 152 in 15 overs, South Africa raced to 67 for 1 in 5 overs and secured victory in 13.5 overs. Earlier, India posted 180 for 7 while batting first, thanks to Rinku Singh’s maiden half-century and a typical Suryakumar Yadav special (56 off 36).
The rain arrived after their crucial partnerships, putting a brake on the scoring rate. South Africa’s openers, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram, took advantage of a below-par Indian bowling attack, especially in the powerplay. Hendricks top-scored with a 27-ball 49, powering South Africa to victory in 13.5 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav, in the post-match presentation, acknowledged South Africa’s superior batting in the powerplay that ultimately took the game away from India. He also highlighted the learning opportunities from the wet-ball conditions.
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“It was a par score at the halfway mark, but they batted brilliantly in the first 5-6 overs and took the game away from us. It was the brand of cricket we were talking about, just go out and express ourselves. It was tough with the wet ball, but we would face similar situations in the future and it’s a good learning for us. Looking forward to the third T20I,” said Suryakumar Yadav.
South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, was delighted with his team’s performance and praised Reeza Hendricks’ impactful innings. He also emphasized the importance of healthy competition within the team for securing World Cup spots.
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“He has been fantastic, super happy for him, he has adopted a bit of leadership role with the batting. Another brilliant knock from him tonight. You gotta pick form players going into the World Cup. There might still be a couple of places up for grabs. Every player is working hard and giving his best. The healthy competition means a lot for us,” said Aiden Markram.
With the series tied at 1-1, the third and final T20I will be a crucial encounter, taking place on Thursday in Johannesburg.
