De Kock brilliance leads South Africa to imposing 213 total
In a high-octane clash at the newly inaugurated international venue in New Chandigarh, South Africa has set a formidable target for the Men in Blue. Powered by a blistering knock from Quinton de Kock and a strong finish by the lower order, the Proteas posted a massive 213 for 4 in the Ind vs SA 2nd T20I.
The innings was defined by the aggression of opener Quinton de Kock, who seemed destined for a century. He dismantled the Indian bowling attack, scoring a rapid 90 runs off just 46 deliveries. His innings, however, was cut short in the 16th over thanks to a moment of brilliance from Indian wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. After de Kock bottom-edged a delivery, Sharma reacted with lightning speed to execute a sharp run-out, sending the dangerous left-hander back to the pavilion just ten runs shy of his hundred.
While de Kock laid the foundation, the finishing touches were applied by Donovan Ferreira and David Miller. Ferreira remained unbeaten on 30 from 16 balls, while Miller chipped in with a quickfire 20. The pair took on India's premier pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, in the final over, milking 18 runs including two massive sixes by Ferreira—one drilled down the ground and another pulled fiercely over the ropes.
It was a difficult evening for the Indian bowlers, largely due to the heavy dew settling on the outfield. The slippery ball made control nearly impossible, resulting in an undisciplined display that saw India concede 15 wides. Arshdeep Singh had a particularly tough outing, bowling a marathon 13-ball over at one stage that included seven wides as he struggled to grip the wet ball.
Despite the bowling woes, spinner Varun Chakravarthy provided some respite for India, picking up crucial wickets including that of Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram.
With 213 runs on the board, South Africa is in a commanding position. However, with the dew factor likely to impact the Proteas' bowlers as well, the Indian batters will feel they have a fighting chance to chase down this total on what appears to be a batting paradise.
