India claim first T20I series win over SA at home
India beat South Africa in the second T20I in Guwahati. The hosts defended 237/3, the highest-ever total against the Proteas in T20Is. India have registered their first-ever T20I series win against SA at home. KL Rahul (57), Suryakumar Yadav (61), and Virat Kohli (49*) laid the foundation of India's victory. A superb century from David Miller (106*) went in vain.
How did the match pan out?
India were off to a terrific start after SA elected to field. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul shared a 96-run stand. Later, a phenomenal 102-run partnership between Surya and Kohli powered India past 200. Dinesh Karthik smashed a couple of sixes and a boundary in the final over. David Miller and Quinton de Kock added over 100 runs, but South Africa fell short (221/3).
India's first T20I series win over SA at home
As stated, India have registered their first-ever T20I series win over South Africa at home. Before this match, South Africa did not lose a limited-overs series in the nation since 2010. The Proteas last lost a series in India when Sachin Tendulkar struck the first-ever double hundred in men's ODIs. Before tonight, SA had won one and drawn two T20I series in India.
Another milestone for Team India
India haven't lost a T20I series at home since February 2019. Since November 2019, India won seven back-to-back series at home (vs Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, West Indies, England, and New Zealand). Overall, India are now unbeaten in 11 T20I series at home, the most by a team in home conditions. Australia recorded eight such series wins between 2006 and 2010.
Third-fastest Indian to 1,000 T20I runs
Suryakumar unleashed his beast mode, having hammered a 22-ball 61. He became the third-fastest Indian to 1,000 T20I runs in terms of innings (31). Virat Kohli and KL Rahul achieved this feat in 27 and 29 T20I innings, respectively. However, SKY is the fastest to 1,000 T20I runs in terms of balls (573). He broke the record of Australia's Glenn Maxwell (604).
Other feats attained by SKY
Suryakumar slammed his ninth half-century in T20I cricket. He raced to the mark off just 18 deliveries, the joint-second-fastest by an Indian in the format, with KL Rahul. Yuvraj Singh holds the record for the fastest-ever T20I half-century (12 balls against England, 2007 T20 World Cup). SKY's last three T20I scores read 69(34) vs Australia, 50*(33) vs SA, and 61(22) vs SA.
20th T20I half-century for Rahul
Rahul smashed 57 off 28 balls (5 fours, 2 sixes). He registered his 20th half-century in T20I cricket. Rahul has become the third Indian after Rohit and Kohli to register 20 or more T20I fifties. Rahul also completed 2,100 runs in the format during his knock. He now has 2,137 T20I runs from 66 T20Is at a strike rate of 140.49.
A milestone match for Rohit
Rohit became the first Indian cricketer to feature in 400 T20s. Among Indian cricketers, Rohit (400) leads by a hefty margin over second-placed Virat Kohli, who featured in his 354th fixture. As per ESPNcricinfo, he ranks behind Kieron Pollard (614), Dwayne Bravo (556), Shoaib Malik (481), Chris Gayle (463), Sunil Narine (435), Ravi Bopara (429), Andre Russell (428), and David Miller (402).
First Indian captain with 500 T20I runs in a year
Rohit has become the first Indian captain to complete 500 T20I runs in a calendar year. Meanwhile, Kohli holds the most runs under his belt in both ODIs (1,460) and Tests (1,322) in this regard. Rohit and Rahul now have the most 50+ partnerships in T20I cricket. This was the 15th time the duo breached the 50-run mark.
First Indian to complete 11,000 T20 runs
While SKY belted the Proteas bowlers, Kohli played second-fiddle. The latter still finished with a strike rate of 175.00, having slammed an unbeaten 49 off 28 balls. Kohli became the first-ever Indian to reach 11,000 runs in T20 cricket. Overall, Kohli is the fourth player after Chris Gayle (14,562), Kieron Pollard (11,915), and Shoaib Malik (11,902) to complete 11,000 T20 runs.
Miller slams his second T20I ton
South Africa were reduced to 47/3 in the run-chase. However, Quinton de Kock and David Miller still kept the Proteas afloat. The former slammed his 12th half-century in T20I cricket despite looking rusty. Miller stole the show with a thunderous knock. The left-handed batter raced to his second century in the format. He hammered eight fours and seven sixes.
Other notable records from the match
Kohli and Suryakumar added 102 off 42 balls together, the fastest century stand for India (T20Is) by run rate (14.57). Suryakumar has become the first Indian to score 500 T20I runs in middle overs in a calendar year. Rohit is the first player to share at least 10 fifty-plus partnerships with multiple opening partners in T20Is (10 with Rahul and 11 with Shikhar Dhawan).
