NEW CHANDIGARH, India — Opener Quinton de Kock smashed a blistering 90 off 46 balls to power South Africa to a formidable 213/4 in the second T20I against India at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
De Kock dominated from the outset, unleashing clean strikes and sharp leg-side hitting to collect five fours and seven sixes. His 83-run stand with skipper Aiden Markram set the tone for the innings. India pulled things back briefly with wickets in the middle overs, but South Africa surged again at the finish as David Miller (20 not out) and Donovan Ferreira (30 not out) combined for 53 runs off just 25 balls to push the total well past the 200 mark.
India’s pacers struggled under heavy dew, with Arshdeep Singh conceding nine wides and Jasprit Bumrah unable to consistently find his yorkers. Varun Chakaravarthy emerged as India’s best bowler with 2-29, while Axar Patel found grip late in his spell to return 1-27. Despite the stiff target, the dew could tilt conditions in India’s favor during the chase.
Inserted to bat first, South Africa exploded out of the blocks as de Kock hammered Arshdeep Singh for two sixes and a four in the third over. Both de Kock and Reeza Hendricks capitalized on short deliveries, each pulling Bumrah for a six in the fourth over. Spin brought India their first breakthrough in the fifth, when Chakaravarthy bowled Hendricks with a skidding quicker ball — the third time he has dismissed the batter in seven T20I deliveries.
Momentum, however, stayed with South Africa. De Kock took on Axar Patel with a towering pull shot before finding boundaries off Hardik Pandya and Chakaravarthy. Markram struggled for rhythm early, but de Kock reached his half-century off just 26 balls and continued to attack, lofting Axar for six and punishing Arshdeep in an 18-run over that included seven wides.
Markram appeared to settle when he struck Chakaravarthy for back-to-back sixes, but he fell attempting a third, holing out at deep mid-wicket. De Kock kept the pressure on, striking Pandya for more boundaries before falling for 90 when wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma reacted sharply to parry a deflection and break the stumps.
Axar removed Dewald Brevis soon after, but the final overs belonged to Miller and Ferreira, who found six boundaries between them to carry South Africa to 213/4.
Brief scores:
South Africa 213/4 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 90, Donovan Ferreira 30 not out; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-29, Axar Patel 1-27) vs India (Source: IANS)
