South Africa’s top-order batsmen were embarrassed against India at the Greenfield Stadium on Wednesday, as they lost the first T20I to their hosts by eight wickets.
Put in to bat first by opposite number Rohit Sharma, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma was the first to go for his side - clean bowled by Deepak Chahar (2/24) for a duck.
Like Bavuma, the rest of South Africa’s top order couldn’t cope with how India managed to get swing out of the new ball. Quinton de Kock (1) followed Bavuma back in the hut after playing on an Arshdeep Singh (3/14) delivery.
Rilee Rossouw then became Singh’s second wicket - caught behind for a duck, with David Miller (0) clean bowled with the next ball.
When Tristan Stubbs was caught by Singh off Chahar on his first ball, the top-order humiliation was complete as South Africa were on 9/5.
Aiden Markram was the only one of the recognised batsmen to put up a fight, scoring 25 off 24, but it was Keshav Maharaj who rubbed further salt into the Proteas top order’s wounds by top-scoring with 41 off 35.
Wayne Parnell added 24 off 37, as SA finished on 106/8.
India were never expected to struggle to get the winning runs, but when they lost Sharma - caught by behind off Kagiso Rabada () for a duck - SA had some hope.
And then, with his first ball of the match in the seventh over, Anrich Nortje got out India’s danger man Virat Kohli - caught behind for three and India’s score on 17/2. But the hosts soldiered on, with KL Rahul (51*) and Suryakumar Yadav (50*) steering them home to 110/2.
🗣️ "We saw the wicket was a bit spicy but we weren't expecting it to play like that."
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) September 28, 2022
Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma reflects on the loss tonight.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za