Tristan Stubbs ended three runs shy of what would have been a third T20I half century against India in Gqeberha on Sunday night.
But his unbeaten 47 to help South Africa level the four-match series 1-1 was a knock worthy of triple figures.
As India spinners Varun Chakaravarthy (5/17) and Ravi Bishnoi (1/21) spun a web around South Africa’s batsmen to have them on their knees on 66/6 in pursuit of a winning target of 125, Stubbs stepped up, saw the spinners out and took SA home with three wickets in the bank.
Of his heroics, the 24-year-old, who batted at No.4, says: “It was tough… it wasn’t easy to come in and just rotate the strike even and take them [India’s spinners] on. They [Chakaravarthy and Bishnoi] are two of the best spinners in the world, so when they’re on it’s really tough. They got the better of us in the middle there…”
Hailing from George/Knysna, Stubbs had a vrag mense from his hood supporting him innie Baai.
Of what the innings means to him personally, he says: “Having not played much T20 cricket recently, it was really nice to get the team over the line and be ‘not out’ at the end. For someone batting in the middle, that is your goal.”
Stubbs recently graduated from a T20-only national-team player to both the ODI and Test teams and he believes playing in the longer formats has helped improve his batting as well.
He explains: “I really enjoy the longer format. You can spend time in the middle and don’t feel like you have to play every ball. It helps your T20 game, spending time in the middle.”
Stubbs will look to continue his good run in the third T20I in Centurion tomorrow.
What A Blast! 🏟️🎊
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 11, 2024
Thank you St George’s Park Stadium, for bringing the passion on Sunday to help get our Proteas over the line with the win.✨🏏🇿🇦#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/D0xuoTRj5o