IND vs SA: 2nd T20I Review – Kohli leads charge as India take 1-0 lead
Mohali witnessed a Virat Kohli masterclass, both in the field and with the bat as India took a 1-0 lead in the series against South Africa. With the first match at Dharamsala being a washout, fans waited with bated breath, anticipating some high-octane action. They were delivered just that as India outperformed the Proteas both with the bat and the ball.
A disciplined bowling performance first meant that the home side restricted the opposition to an under-par score of 149-5. Kohli and Dhawan then carried out the chase to perfection, as the South African bowlers failed to deliver regular breakthroughs. In the end, India cruised home to a victory with an over remaining with the action now moving to Bangalore.
Check out the full scorecard here
De Kock, Bavuma set up a steady platform
Right from the very first delivery, Proteas skipper Quinton de Kock looked in menacing form. The surface at Mohali offered good carry and bounce, the kind of pitch where the wicketkeeper-batsman excels. He particularly took a fancy to Navdeep Saini, hitting a couple of cracking shots off his bowling. His opening partner, Reeza Hendricks could not support him for long though. Deepak Chahar dismissed him for 6 with Washington Sundar being a safe pair of hands. Temba Bavuma then joined his captain on the crease, rotating the strike at regular intervals. This allowed de Kock to play his natural attacking game. Despite not being flashy, South Africa had a steady platform to build upon with the scorecard approaching the three-figure mark.
Kohli pounces, Proteas stumble
It was the brilliance of Kohli which got India the all-important breakthrough. The Indian skipper showed all his agility in the field with a stunning catch finally dismissing his Protean counterpart. De Kock had crossed the 50-run mark and was aiming for the big shots. He went for another attacking stroke off the bowling of Saini, only for Kohli to pounce upon and leave him in disbelief. After his wicket, South Africa simply could not sustain their momentum as the Indian bowlers chipped in with regular wickets.
Rassie van der Dussen soon followed him back to the pavilion. Bavuma also missed out on his half-century by a single run, looking to up the ante in the final overs. David Miller got off to a promising start, but he too perished on 18 off the bowling of Hardik Pandya. Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukwayo tried their best, but South Africa could only stumble to a score of 149-5 in their 20 overs.
Business as usual for the Indian top order
It is no longer a secret in international cricket that the Indian top-order is the spine of the batting department. Strike early and establish a foothold in the game. But Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan ensured that there would not be any early hiccups. Though Sharma could only score a run a ball 12, he established a 33-run stand with Dhawan who was the aggressor. After Sharma’s wicket, Kohli took over the role of leading India’s charge with great ease. The pair of Dhawan and Kohli played risk-free cricket, putting away the bad deliveries. There were moments of brilliance sprinkled in between as well. Their partnership of 61 put India firmly in a commanding position of the contest.
A normal day at work for the chase master
It seemed as though Dhawan and Kohli would finish the job without any hiccups. It took a moment of magic from Miller to break the stand. Dhawan crunched a shot from the middle of the bat, only to be dismissed by a brilliant diving catch from Miller. The reaction from Kohli and Dhawan said it all, as they had the expression of being equally stunned and equally being in awe. A good knock of 40 off 31 deliveries came to an end.
Rishabh Pant then joined the skipper in the middle. But in what is now becoming a regular occurrence, poor execution on his part saw him throw his wicket away on 4. Kohli then took up the mantle to finish the job, bringing up his fifty, beginning to open up his arms. The chase master again proved why he is the best in the business, with a knock of 72 in only 52 deliveries. Shreyas Iyer also played a couple of cracking shots, scoring the winning runs. India cruised to the target with an over remaining to outperform the opposition and take a 1-0 lead.
