Thiruvananthapuram, India, Sept 28 (AFP\/APP):Fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar wreaked havoc with the new ball to set up a convincing eight-wicket win for India in the first Twenty20 international against South Africa on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
South Africa recovered from 9-5 in 2.3 overs to post 106-8 after India elected to field first on a seaming pitch at the start of the three-match series in Thiruvananthapuram.<\/p>\n
India lost skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck and the star batsman Virat Kohli for three before the hosts achieved their target with 20 balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n
KL Rahul (51) and Suryakumar Yadav (50) put on an unbeaten 93-run partnership to complete the chase as India move into their final two matches ahead of the T20 World Cup starting next month in Australia.<\/p>\n
It was the bowlers who set up victory with Chahar taking two and Arshdeep returning figures of 3-32 to kickstart India’s dominance despite losing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah to “back pain” before the start of the match.<\/p>\n
Number eight Keshav Maharaj hit 41 off 35 balls to help South Africa bat the full 20 overs and add some respectability to their meagre total.<\/p>\n
Chahar bowled skipper Temba Bavuma for a fourth-ball duck and fellow opener Quinton de Kock dragged a delivery on to his stumps from left-arm quick Arshdeep.<\/p>\n
The Proteas slipped further into trouble when Arshdeep had Rilee Rossouw caught behind for nought and then bowled David Miller the next ball.
\nIt was South Africa’s worst-ever start to a T20 international when Tristan Stubbs fell to Chahar in the third over.<\/p>\n
Aiden Markram (25) Wayne Parnell (24) put together 33 runs for the sixth wicket to slow India’s momentum.<\/p>\n
Markram smashed three fours and one six before being trapped lbw by Harshal Patel as India successfully reviewed the on-field umpire’s initial decision.<\/p>\n
Parnell fell in the 16th over but Maharaj stood firm before his knock ended in the final over as Patel picked up his second wicket.<\/p>\n
In reply, India struggled to 17-1 in the first six overs with Kagiso Rabada sending back Rohit and then the hosts lost Kohli, caught behind off fast bowler Anrich Nortje.<\/p>\n
Suryakumar eased the nerves with two sixes including a lucky one with an edge that sailed over deep third man to bring the crowd alive.<\/p>\n
The in-form Suryakumar, who hit five fours and three sixes in his 33-ball knock took on the bowlers with Rahul, who stood anchor to, hit the winning six, for company as the two went about the chase with clinical precision.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Thiruvananthapuram, India, Sept 28 (AFP\/APP):Fast bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar wreaked havoc with the new ball to set up a convincing eight-wicket win for India in the first Twenty20 international against South Africa on Wednesday. South Africa recovered from 9-5 in 2.3 overs to […]<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":60131,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11121,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cricket-news","category-latest-sports-news"],"yoast_head":"\n