IND vs SA: South Africa produced a commanding all-round display to defeat India by 51 runs in the second T20I in Mullanpur, a result that not only levelled the ongoing five-match series 1-1 but also pushed the Proteas to a new landmark in head-to-head battles against the Men in Blue.
With this victory, South Africa surpassed Australia and England to become the team with the most T20I wins over India, registering their 13th win in 33 encounters.
Playing the first-ever T20I at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh on Thursday (December 11), Aiden Markram's side made full use of the conditions after being asked to bat. The innings revolved around a blistering knock from Quinton de Kock, who unleashed a breathtaking
90 off just 46 balls. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter was in sublime touch, hammering seven towering sixes and dictating the pace during the powerplay and middle overs.
De Kock received valuable support late in the innings, with Donovan Ferreira smashing 30 from 16 deliveries and David Miller adding a quickfire 20 off 12. Their efforts propelled South Africa to an imposing 213/4, a total that always looked beyond India once early wickets fell.
India's bowling attack struggled, particularly Arshdeep Singh, who endured a forgettable outing marked by an over in which he bowled seven wides. The pressure only mounted as South Africa's batters capitalised on every mistake.
Chasing 214, India never found momentum. The top order crumbled inside the powerplay, with Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and captain Suryakumar Yadav departing cheaply. The innings appeared in disarray at 42/3, and although Tilak Varma offered resistance with a fluent 62 off 34 balls-showcasing timing and fearlessness-the lack of partnerships hurt the hosts. India were eventually bundled out for 162 in 19.1 overs, falling well short of the target.
With the win, South Africa not only restored parity in the series but also etched their name into the record books, emerging as India's most successful opponents in T20Is. The teams now shift focus to the third match, where both sides will look to seize the advantage in what is shaping up to be a fiercely contested series.
