Ahmedabad, Dec 19 (IANS) Powered by scintillating half-centuries from Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, India posted a formidable 231/5 in their 20 overs in the fifth T20I against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
In an innings where umpire Rohan Pandit and a camera operator took some blows on separate occasions, the pair added 105 runs for the fourth wicket, with Varma making 73 off 45 balls and Pandya hammering 63 off 38 deliveries, including getting his fifty in just 16 balls, the second fastest half-century hit by an India men’s batter in T20Is.
Sanju Samson, stepping in for the injured Shubman Gill, made an attractive 37, while Abhishek Sharma chipped in with a brisk cameo of 34 in a 63-run opening stand. Suryakumar Yadav’s lean run continued as he fell for five, but Varma and Pandya made up for it with some audacious clean hitting.
Shivam Dube provided the finishing touches by hitting a four and six in the final over, as India crossed the 230-run mark. For South Africa, seam-bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosch was the standout bowler with 2-44, but on a whole, the Proteas were unable to contain India’s batting surge, as the hosts are in a strong position to push for a series-clinching win.
Pushed into batting first on a black soil pitch, India made a brisk start by racing to 25/0 in two overs as Abhishek repeatedly pierced the off-side field against Marco Jansen for three fours in the second over, before Samson ended it with a trademark loft over mid-on for six.
There was concern for South Africa early on when wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock injured his finger while collecting the ball in the opening over. Despite visible discomfort, he continued behind the stumps after receiving treatment, even as Samson matched Abhishek stroke for stroke, unfurling elegant drives and punches down the ground to reach 27 off 13 balls.
After the opening pair went past fifty of their partnership, South Africa finally broke through when Abhishek gloved a bouncer down leg from Bosch to de Kock, who completed the catch despite not appealing for it initially.
South Africa turned to spin after the powerplay, introducing Donovan Ferreira and George Linde. But India continued to score freely, as Varma and Samson freely picked boundaries. Linde, however, struck in his second over, by castling Samson with a delivery that pitched on leg and clipped off-stump.
Suryakumar’s lean run persisted as he fell for five, caught at mid-off off Bosch, ending the year without a fifty in T20Is. From 115/3 in the 12th over, India’s innings was given a turbo boost by Pandya and Varma, who counter-attacked in blazing fashion to add quick runs. Pandya blazed his way to 31 off seven balls – hitting a six and four off Bosch, before taking down Linde with a four and two sixes.
While Varma reached his half-century with a fluent punch against Lungi Ngidi for four, Pandya’s assault continued as he smashed Bosch for a four and two sixes to bring up a 16-ball fifty, the second-fastest by an Indian in T20Is.
His knock, coming at a strike rate of 252, was eventually cut short when he picked out deep midwicket off Ottniel Baartman in the penultimate over. Two balls later, Varma’s knock ended in dramatic fashion when he was run out for 73. Dube, however, finished with a flourish, striking a six and a four to push India past 230-mark.
Brief Scores: India 231/5 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 73, Hardik Pandya 63; Corbin Bosch 2-44, Ottniel Baartman 1-39) against South Africa
–IANS
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