In a Group 1 Super 8 fixture in Ahmedabad, India started well with the ball in hand after losing the toss. They got early wickets and pushed South Africa on the back foot inside the powerplay. Yes, the shot selection was not great from the Proteas batters but India bowled well and Bumrah was magical in the opening spell with the new ball. The match is still in the balance on the tough pitch.
Jasprit Bumrah’s double strike rattles South Africa in the powerplay.Â
Winning the toss and deciding to bat first, captain Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock came out to bat for South Africa while Arshdeep Singh had ball in hand for India. Arshdeep bowled a good first over. Jasprit Bumrah had ball in hand from the other end. Quinton got a ball to hit as he sliced it away for a boundary. Bumrah hit back though as he got rid of Quinton for 6 off 7 balls with one four to his name.
Bumrah bowled a good length delivery nipping back into the middle stump from outside the off-stump. de Kock went across the line without moving his feet and swung for the money with a heave and missed it on the inside edge as the ball went through to clip the top of the middle stump. Ryan Rickelton came out to bat next.
Arshdeep continued and he got rid of Markram for 4 off 7 balls. Arshdeep bowled a full and outside off delivery. Markram looked to loft it over mid-off but could not get the elevation he wanted as he ended up chipping off the splice of the bat and straight to Hardik Pandya at the mid-off inside the circle. Dewald Brevis came out to bat next and got off the mark as well. Rickelton took on Arshdeep and swivel pulled it away over backward square leg for the maximum.
Bumrah continued and he got rid of Rickelton next for 7 off 7 balls with a maximum to his name. Bumrah bowled a full and slower one off-cutter on the leg stump. Rickelton looked to flick but was through the shot wat too early. He got a leading edge that carried to Dube at mid-off who made no mistake. David Miller came out to bat next. Varun Chakaravarthy came into the attack next. Miller got the outside edge that went away to the third man fence. Miller then up and over mid-off for a boundary.
Arshdeep came to bowl the final over of the powerplay as Miller rocked on the back foot and pulled it to deep midwicket for a boundary. Miller punched the ball through mid-off for a boundary. South Africa were 41/3 in 6 overs of powerplay with Miller unbeaten on 18 off 10 balls and Brevis unbeaten on 4 off 5 balls. We all paused for the Drinks Break.
David Miller & Dewald Brevis leads South Africa’s fightback post the powerplay.Â
Washington Sundar came into the attack post the powerplay. Brevis welcomed Sundar with a boundary as he slapped it to the right of deep cover for a boundary. Miller drilled the ball right to long-off for a boundary. The 50 came up for South Africa in 7 overs. Hardik Pandya came into the attack next. He bowled a solid first over. Varun Chakaravarthy came into the attack. Miller took him on as he got down on one knee and swung over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Brevis joined the party as he rocked back to a delivery outside the leg stump and cut it square in the off-side as the ball went away to the deep point fence. Brevis then took on Varun again as he smashed down the ground for the maximum over long-on. The 50-run stand came up between the duo. Hardik came to bowl the 10th over of the innings. He overstepped and the free hit was costly as Miller took on Hardik by pulling the ball over cow corner for the maximum.
At the end of 10 overs, South Africa at the halfway stage were back in the back at 84/3 with Miller unbeaten on 40 off 22 balls and Brevis unbeaten on 24 off 18 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
South Africa got off to a shaky start but have recovered through Brevis and Miller with the latter taking full tole of India’s hopeless bowling post powerplay. The Proteas are 84/3 in 10 overs and now they can get 180 which is going to be a winning score on this pitch. India needs wickets to make a match out of this. South Africa on top in Ahmedabad.
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