After suffering a drubbing at Cuttack, South Africa bounced back and how by hitting back and upstaging India by 51 runs to level the series 1-1. South Africa came out all guns blazing and out batted and out bowled India in all facets of the game and deserves this win. Put into bat first, South Africa rode on a magical 90 from Quinton de Kock and contributions from other players to post 213/4 with Varun Chakaravarthy picking up 2/29 in 4 overs.
In the defence of the total, South Africa came out determined with the ball and led by Ottneil Baartman who picked up 4/24 in 4 overs and the other bowlers chipped in with only Tilak Varma scoring 62 off 34 balls being the shining light for India. Other than that, it was all South Africa and they deserve the win to level the series at 1-1 with 3 games to spare.
Quinton de Kock’s magical innings powered South Africa to a massive 213/4
Put into bat first, Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks came out to bat for South Africa while Arshdeep Singh had the ball in hand for India. Quinton was off the blocks straightaway and looked in great order striking the ball really well on a flat pitch. He took special liking to Arshdeep as the local boy had day to forget in New Chandigarh. Reeza Hendricks was a mere spectator although he managed to hit a maximum off Jasprit Bumrah. Quinton was unstoppable.
Varun Chakaravarthy came into the attack and struck straightaway as he cleaned up Hendricks for 8 off 10 balls with one six to his name. Captain Aiden Markram came out to bat next. But the wicket did not slow down Quinton de Kock as he went hammer and tongs at the bowling. Whoever came to the attack was dealt with harshly as Markram dropped anchor and played the second fiddle. The powerplay score was 53/1 in 6 overs. The captain was slow but Quinton made it up big time and took the game away from India. The duo put on 83 runs off 47 balls for the second wicket.
Markram hit Varun for two maximums in the over but the wily bowler came back and dismissed Markram for 29 off 26 balls with one four and two sixes to his name. This brought Dewald Brevis to the middle. Quinton de Kock was in the zone as Brevis came in and took his time before striking a boundary and a maximum to his name. But Quinton carried on his good work. Arshdeep struggled and at one point bowled 7 wides and bowled a 13-ball over. It was all going downhill for India. South Africa raced to 156/2 in 15 overs and looked set for a huge score.
Then against the run of play, Quinton de Kock was run out for 90 off 46 balls with 5 fours and 7 sixes to his name thanks to brilliant glovework from keeper batter Jitesh Sharma. Donovan Ferreira came out to bat next. Brevis too fell soon after de Kock as the youngster was dismissed for 14 off 10 balls with one four and one six to his name. David Miller came out to bat next and India at this felt they would put the brakes and come back in the match.
Ferreira and Miller took charge of the death overs from 160/4 in 16.1 overs and took the attack to India again. Miller was the initial aggressor of the two as he smashed Bumrah before Ferreira took charge towards the end. Arshdeep came back into the attack and bowled another few wides before being massacred for maximums. The duo could not be separated and even Bumrah was going for 16-17 runs an over tonight.
In the end, they got 53 off 23 balls to power South Africa past 200 as they finished with 213/4 in 50 overs with Ferreira finishing unbeaten on 30 off 16 balls with one four and 3 sixes to his name while David Miller finished with an unbeaten 20 off 12 balls with 2 fours and one maximum to his name. 22 extras including a whopping 16 wides given by India.
It was a tough day in the office for the Indian bowlers. Varun Chakaravarthy was the star with figures of 2/29 in 4 overs. Axar Patel bowled decently with figures of 1/27 in 3 overs. There was one run out in the innings. Arshdeep Singh had a night to forget with figures of 0/54 in 4 overs. Jasprit Bumrah finished with 0/45 in 4 overs. Hardik Pandya finished with 0/34 in 3 overs. Shivam Dube bowled a couple of overs for 18 runs. This means that India’s target was a massive 214 runs off 20 overs to take a 2-0 lead in the 5-match series.
All-Round Bowling Display led by Ottneil Baartman’s 4-wicket haul bowls India out for 162 in 19.1 overs
Chasing a massive 214 for the win, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill came out to open the batting for India while Lungi Ngidi had ball in hand for South Africa. Abhishek started on the front foot hitting a six to get himself going. But India got off to the worst possible start as they lost their vice-captain Shubman Gill for a golden duck as Ngidi struck for South Africa. Axar Patel was promoted up the order at 3. Abhishek tried to be aggressive but he too fell for 17 off 8 balls with 2 sixes to his name as Marco Jansen picked up his first wicket getting the edge through to de Kock.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav came out to bat next joining Axar in the middle. Surya and Axar tried to build up a partnership with Axar playing some shots and SKY got a boundary in as well. But Surya fell for 5 off 4 balls with one four to his name to Marco Jansen as he found the edge to the keeper. India were in whole lot of trouble at 32/3 in 3.5 overs. Tilak Varma came out to bat to join Axar Patel in the middle.
Axar and Tilak were up against it and tried to up the ante and played the rest of the powerplay unscathed but India were up against it with the score reading 51/3 in 6 overs. Axar played at run a ball but Tilak was quick off the blocks and scored at a fast rate. They put on 35 runs off 22 balls before Axar fell to Ottneil Baartman for 21 off 21 balls with one four and one six to his name. Hardik Pandya came out to bat next.
Tilak Varma was in full flow as he played the big ones from one end. Hardik struggled in his stay in the middle. He tried to get going but he didn’t and it was left to Tilak who had to do the heavy lifting for India in this innings. Tilak and Hardik added 51 runs off 41 balls before Hardik fell for a laboured 20 off 23 balls with one six to his name to Lutho Spamla. Jitesh Sharma came into bat with the score at 118/5 in 14.2 overs and the match was as good as over.
Jitesh and Tilak took the bowling on and gave some pressure to South Africa but South Africa had enough runs on the board. Jitesh played a cameo and showed what he is made of as he scored a quickfire 27 off 17 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes to his name as Sipamla got his wicket. . Shivam Dube came out to bat at 8 tonight. He did not last long as he was cleaned up Ottneil Baartman for 1 off 2 balls. Arshdeep Singh came out to bat next. Tilak had completed his half-century and was watching the carnage from the other end.
Arshdeep hit a boundary to get off the mark but got dismissed for 4 off 3 balls with a boundary to his name as Baartman got another wicket. Varun Chakaravarthy came out to bat and went for a silver duck as Markram took the catch at long-on. Baartman had 3 in the over and finished with 4 wickets to his name. Jasprit Bumrah came out to bat next. Tilak Varma eventually got out trying to play the big shot as he was holed out to Markram off Ngidi as he made 62 off 34 balls with 2 fours and 5 sixes to his name. Markram took the catch at long-on as india were bowled out for 162 in 19.1 overs with just 5 extras given by the fielding side.
Ottneil Baartman was the pick of the bowlers for South Africa with figures of 4/24 in 4 overs. Lungi Ngidi finished with 2/26 in 3.1 overs. Marco Jansen bowled really well for his 2/25 in 4 overs. Lutho Sipamla picked up 2/46 in 4 overs. Donovan Ferreira finished with 0/14 in 1 over. George Linde finished with 0/23 in 3 overs. So, South Africa thrash India by 51 runs to level the series 1-1 with 3 games to spare. Quinton de Kock was awarded the Player of the Match.
What Lies Ahead
So, South Africa have bounced back from the hammering in Cuttack to hammer India in New Chandigarh to level the series at 1-1. The next T20I will take place in Dharamsala on Sunday 14th December, 2025 from 8:00 PM IST. It is an important match as this has become a three-match rubber from here. Which team will come out in top in Dharamsala? Only time will tell what will happen on Super Sunday.
Also Read: IND VS SA: Quinton de Kock’s Magical Innings Powers South Africa Well Past 200.