2nd T20I: India smash 180/7; SA require 152 (DLS)
India compiled 180/7 in 19.3 overs against South Africa in the 2nd T20I at St George's Park, Gqeberha. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and batter Rinku Singh strengthened the Men in Blue after they lost both their openers for ducks. The Indian duo slammed half-centuries. Besides, pacer Gerald Coetzee took three wickets for the Proteas. SA require 152 runs in 15 overs as rain interrupted play.
India recover after stumbling in Powerplay
India had a horrible start after SA elected to field. Marco Jansen dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for a duck on the match's third ball. Shubman Gill fell to Lizaad Williams for a two-ball duck. Tilak Varma smashed Jansen for 19 runs (third over). He worked in tandem with skipper Suryakumar but departed in the sixth over. India jumped from 6/2 to 59/3 in the Powerplay.
A solid knock from SKY
As has been the case, Suryakumar bolstered India after they stumbled in the first few overs. Playing his first over, SKY smashed Coetzee for two fours and a maximum. The Indian skipper played the field and reached his half-century off just 29 balls. He eventually smashed 56 off 36 balls, a knock laced with 5 fours and 3 sixes.
Joint second-fastest batter to accomplish 2,000 T20I runs
Suryakumar has become the joint second-fastest batter to accomplish 2,000 T20I runs. He entered the game, requiring 15 runs to get the mark. SKY, who made his T20I debut in March 2021, took 56 innings of 59 games to accomplish 2,000 runs in the format. The top-ranked T20I batter has joined his compatriot Virat Kohli as the joint second-fastest batter to get the mark.
Other feats attained by SKY
SKY now has the joint-most 50+ scores against South Africa in T20Is (5 innings). Jonny Bairstow (13 innings), Mohammad Rizwan (11 innings), and David Warner (15 innings). The Indian batter has four fifties in just five T20I innings against the Proteas. As per Cricbuzz, Suryakumar has become the first Indian captain to score a half-century in South Africa in T20Is.
Another record to his name
Suryakumar is the fastest to complete 2,000 T20I runs in terms of balls, reaching the mark off 1,163 deliveries. He broke the record of former Australian skipper Aaron Finch, who took 1,283 balls for the same.
Rinku slams his maiden T20I fifty
Rinku continued his phenomenal run, complementing Suryakumar after the Powerplay. The duo shared a 70-run stand after India were reduced to 55/3. Although SKY departed after India touched the 120-run mark, Rinku didn't stop his onslaught. He raced to a 30-ball half-century, his maiden in T20Is. Rinku picked further pace at the death and finished with a 39-ball 68* (9 fours and 2 sixes).
