IND vs SA 2022, 1st T20I: Arshdeep Singh’s brilliance, 50s from Rahul, Suryakumar lead India to thumping win over South Africa

Team India hammered South Africa by eight wickets in the first T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, September 28, to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

In a thoroughly dominating performance, India held the Proteas to 106 for eight after winning the toss and bowling first. Arshdeep Singh (3/32) and Deepak Chahar (2/24) dismantled the South African top and middle order. Suryakumar Yadav (50* off 33) and KL Rahul (51* off 56) then added an unbroken 93 for the third wicket to lift the hosts to victory in 16.4 overs.

Chasing 107, Team India lost skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck to a ripper from Kagiso Rabada. The South African fast bowler got one to pitch in the corridor of uncertainty, forcing the Indian opener to defend. The ball took the edge and flew to the keeper, who took a smart one-handed catch.

Rahul was tested by the South African pacers in the powerplay and even survived a couple of close lbw shouts. India were a nervous 17 for one after six overs. Virat Kohli (three) perished to Anrich Nortje’s first ball as the Proteas kept their slim hopes alive. It was a lucky break for the visitors as the India No. 3 edged a widish delivery while attempting a cut.

Suryakumar came in and smacked Nortje for two consecutive sixes to swing the momentum of the match swiftly. Nortje dropped a tough chance in his follow-through offered by Rahul in the 10th over. To make matters worse, the batter whipped the next ball over wide long-on for a maximum. India were 47 for two at the halfway stage.

The duo then opened up against the spinners as the Men in Blue gained complete control of proceedings. The 12th over, bowled by Tabraiz Shamsi, began with a half-tracker being clubbed for a six by Rahul and ended with Suryakumar flicking a delivery on leg stump to the wide long on boundary.

With the result becoming a formality, Rahul and Suryakumar decided to have some fun. They were helped by full tosses from Nortje, who was dispatched for a six and a four. When Rabada returned in the 16th over, Suryakumar didn’t spare him as well, whacking him for consecutive fours.

After Suryakumar reached his half-century with a single off Shamsi, Rahul swept the next one over deep backward square leg for a maximum. With the stroke, he brought up his fifty and India’s victory as well.

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Arshdeep claims three in one over as India restrict South Africa to 106 for 8

Arshdeep Singh celebrates one of his three wickets with teammates. Pic: BCCI

Arshdeep claimed three wickets in one over, the second of the match, as India held South Africa to 106 for eighr. Sent in to bat first, the Proteas got off to a disastrous start, losing half their side for nine in 2.3 overs as Deepak Chahar also chipped in with two wickets. Keshav Maharaj (41), Aiden Markram (25) and Wayne Parnell (24) lent some respectability to the total.

Chahar got India off to a great start, cleaning up South African captain Temba Bavuma (0) with an inswinger that completely foxed the batter. Quinton de Kock (one) then dragged a delivery from Arshdeep back onto his stumps. Rilee Rossouw (0) nicked an away-going delivery to the keeper, while David Miller (0) played all around an inswinger and was castled through the gate.

The Proteas lost half their side midway through the third over when Tristan Stubbs (0) cut a short and wide delivery from Chahar to third man, where Arshdeep took an excellent catch diving forward.

Markram batted well for his 25 before being trapped lbw by Harshal Patel. The South African batter tried to flick a good length delivery, but failed to connect. The umpire did not raise his finger, but replays showed the ball crashing into the stumps.

Given the dire circumstances, Maharaj and Parnell did well to offer some resistance, not bothering with the run rate. The duo added 26 for the seventh wicket before the latter slogged Axar Patel into the hands of deep midwicket.

Maharaj hit some impressive strokes towards the end to lift the visitors past the 100-run mark. In the penultimate over bowled by Arshdeep, he reverse-scooped a four and dispatched the next ball over the deep point ropes. Another boundary followed with a drive past mid-off as 17 runs came off the 19th over.

It needed a smart slower ball from Harshal to clean up Maharaj in the last over as he failed to read the variation. Only six runs came off the last over. But considering where South Africa were at the start of their innings, they would have taken 106 for eight.

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India vs South Africa 2022: Who was Player of the Match in 1st T20I?

Arshdeep stunned South Africa by sending back de Kock, Rossouw and Miller in one over. Chahar and Harshal also chipped in with two wickets each. In the chase, Rahul and Suryakumar eased Team India to victory with unbeaten fifties.

For South Africa, Maharaj made a defiant 41, while Rabada was economical with figures of one for 16.

Arshdeep was named Player of the Match for his stupendous bowling effort.