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Wed, 18 September 2019
2nd T20I: Kohli's unbeaten fifty lifts India to win

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22:21   Kohli's unbeaten fifty lifts India to win


India 151-3 (19 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Debutant Fortuin to bowl the 19th over. Kohli is forced to defend the first ball back to the bowler and then takes one to long-on.

Iyer then gets an inside edge for a single before Kohli comes down and lofts it over long-on for a six.

Kohli flicks the next to midwicket for one before Iyer slaps the last ball straight down the ground through the long-on region for a four.

India register a comprehensive seven-wicket victory with an over to spare.

Captain Kohli led from the front with the bat with a sparkling innings of 72 not out from 52 balls, having hit four fours and three sixes. Iyer was unbeaten on 16 from 14 balls at the other end.

India thus take an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series with one match remaining. The first T20 in Dharamsala was washed out due to rain.
22:13   Kohli slams fifty; India set for easy win


India 138-3 (18 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Rabada is back into the attack but Kohli shows who's the boss at the moment!

A full delivery on the pads is flicked over the midwicket fence for a six by the Indian captain as he makes a grand statement.

He tries to flick the next ball along the ground but can't find the gap and then blocks the next in the covers before taking one.

Iyer tries to ramp the last ball over the wicketkeeper but can't connect.

India need 13 from 2 overs for victory.
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22:10   Kohli slams fifty; India close in on victory


India 131-3 (17 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Iyer drives a full wide delivery from Nortje through the covers for two runs and then runs the next ball to the right of wicketkeeper de Kock for a four before taking a single to thirdman.

Kohli then plays another beautiful drive through the covers for a couple before clipping the next to square leg for one, to get 10 runs from the 15th over.

India in control with 35 needed from five overs for victory, with seven wickets in hand.

Captain Kohli has eased his way to 44 from 36 balls, while Iyer has made eight from six balls.

Spinner Fortuin bowls a tidy over, conceding just five runs to leave the equation at 30 needed from four overs for victory.

Kohli gives pacer Phehlukwayo the charge and drills him through the covers for a four to bring up his fifty in some style from just 40 balls.

The next ball is short and wide as Kohli slashes it square on the off-side for another boundary.

11 runs from the over as India reach 131 for three in 17 overs, needing 19 from three overs for victory.
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21:58   Pant fails with the bat; India 3 down


India 105-3 (14 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Pacer Nortje is back into the attack. He does well to concede just five runs in his second over including a leg bye as India go past the 100-run mark, in the 13th over.

Left-arm spinner Fortuin is called back into the attack from the other end. Kohli clips the second ball on the leg side for one and Pant flicks the next for a couple through midwicket.

Pant then throws his wicket away as he pulls a short ball from the spinner but hits it Shamsi at short fine leg to perish for four.

Shreyas Iyer gets off the mark with a single off the last ball.
21:51   Dhawan out for 40; India lose 2nd wicket


India 96-2 (12 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Kohli flicks a short ball from Shamsi through square leg for three runs followed by singles off the last two balls.

Shamsi then brings South Africa back into the game with the wicket of Dhawan. It is all down to Miller's sensational catch at long-on, who takes a blinder, who flings himself full length to his right to pluck out an unbelievable catch.

Kohli is left shocked with Miller's stunning effort and is so Dhawan, who walks back in disbelief after a good innings of 40 from 31 balls, having hit four fours and a six.

Rishabh Pant walks in at No 4 ahead of Shreyas Iyer and he gets off the mark with a single and Kohli takes one off the last ball.


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21:42   Dhawan, Kohli put India in control


India 89-1 (11 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Shamsi continues as Kohli pulls the first ball for a single and Dhawan nudges the third ball behind square for one.

Kohli drives a full delivery down to long-off for one and Dhawan hits the next to long-on for the same result.

Two more singles as India get seven from the over to reach 79 for one in 10 overs at the halfway mark, needing 71 from 10 overs for victory.

Left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin comes into the attack. Four singles from the first four balls helps the duo raise the 50-run stand for the second wicket from 43 balls.

Dhawan then plays the cut shot but can't find the gap before he pulls the last ball for a six.
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21:34   Dhawan, Kohli put India in control


India 72-1 (9 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Dhawan, on 21, gets a lifeline as Pretorius misses the direct hit from close range on his follow through. Kohli had got an inside edge which fell on the pitch as Dhawan called him for a quick run and found himself struggling to make the crease but the bowler missed an easy chance with all three stumps to aim at.

Five runs from the over as India go past the 50-run mark, in the seventh over.

South Africa introduce spin as Tabraiz Shamsi comes into the attack, to bowl the eighth over.

He makes a tidy start as he gives away just five singles in his first over.

After a couple of quiet overs, Kohli decides to break the shackles as he comes down the track and lofts pacer Pretorius over the covers for a six and then takes one to point.

The pacer overpitches as Dhawan lofts it straight back over the bowler's head for a four.

A single to Dhawan before Kohli plays another good drive through the covers for two runs and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

15 runs from the over as India reach 72 for one in nine overs, needing another 78 runs from 11 overs for victory.

Kohli has been in control from the start, stroking his way to 27 from 20 balls, while Dhawan has made 28 from 22 balls.
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21:25   Dhawan, Kohli rally India after early wkt


India 47-1 (6 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Another medium pacer into the attack in Dwaine Pretorius. Dhawan picks a single on the leg side first ball before Kohli flicks the next through square for two runs to get off the mark.

He then hits the next ball through midwicket for a four before taking one, to get eight runs from the fifth over.

Kohli looking in ominous touch already. Phehlukwayo gives him a bit of width as Kohli plays a beautiful drive through the covers for a four.

Two balls later, South Africa have a confident shout for caught behind turned down against Kohli off the inside edge. But the Hotspot shows that there is no edge and he narrowly escapes a close call for leg before wicket.

Kohli then taps the next through square leg for a single before the pacer bowls a wide down the leg side.

India, despite the early wicket, have raced to 47 for one in six overs, needing another 103 runs for victory from 14 overs at an asking rate of 7.3.

Dhawan has provided the impetus at the start, hitting 19 form 15 balls, while Kohli has made 12.
21:12   Rohit out for 12; India lose early wicket


India 33-1 (4 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Medium pacer Andile Phehlukwaya comes into the attack. He starts with a slower ball as Dhawan is beaten by the change of pace before he whips the third ball through square leg for two runs followed by a single on the off-side.

Phehlukwayo then makes the breakthrough with the wicket of Rohit, who looks to blast the pacer over the leg side but misses the full delivery and is given out leg before wicket for 12.

Virat Kohli gets a leading edge off the last ball of the over but it falls safely.
21:10   India off to a flier after SA post 149


India 30-0 (3 ovs) vs SA 149-5 | Scorecard

Kagiso Rabada to open the bowling for South Africa against the experienced Indian opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

He starts with a wide down the leg side to Rohit Sharma, before the right-hander is struck on the pads next ball and then blocks the next ball.

Rabada then bowls another wide down the leg side as the wicketkeeper fails to collect it cleanly to give away two wides.

Dhawan then slaps the fourth ball square on the off-side through point for a four to get off the mark in confident fashion and then takes one as eight come from the first over.

Right-arm fast bowler Anrich Nortje to bowl the second over. Dhawan runs the first ball down to thirdman for one and Rohit is beaten next ball trying to play the cut shot but then pulls the third ball for a six.

Another short ball which Rohit pulls over square leg for another six as 13 comes from the second over.

Dhawan continues India's fiery start as he drives Rabada through the covers for a four and then gets another boundary through the thirdman region.

A single to Dhawan as India race to 30 for no loss in three overs.
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20:37   India's bowlers restrict South Africa to 149


SA 149-5 (20 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Things going from bad to worse for South Africa at the death. Hardik comes back into the attack and strikes first ball with the wicket of Miller, who attempts the big hit but is beaten by the change of pace and is bowled for 18.

India have been excellent at the death, taking two wickets for eight runs in the last 14 deliveries.

Andile Phehlukwayo gets off the mark with a quiet single and Pretorius takes one off the next.

The slower ball down the leg side as Phehlukwayo misses the pull shot and is unhappy the umpire didn't rule it a wide. He tries the shot again but this time is hit on the pads but fails to connect and gets a leg bye.

He follows it with a cracking yorker as Pretorius is hit on the toes and manages another leg bye.

A good outing with the ball for Hardik on his return to action, as he takes 1/31 in his four overs.

Saini to bowl the final over of the innings. Pretorius is beaten first ball as he tries to play the cut shot before he is beaten by a yorker and hit on the pads to collect a leg bye.

Phehlukwayo then gives South Africa something to cheer for as he smacks Saini high over midwicket for a six before taking one.

Pretorius drives Saini down the ground to long-on for two runs and then heaves the last ball for a six over midwicket to end the innings on a high.

16 runs from the final over as South Africa finish on 149 for five in 20 overs.
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20:25   Bavuma out for 49; South Africa 4 down


SA 129-4 (18 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Off-spinner Sundar is back into the attack. Three singles from the first three balls before Miller clips one off his pads for a couple.

He then makes room and plays out the inside out lofted shot to perfection for a six before taking one off the last ball to get 12 runs from the 16th over.

South Africa will hope for a strong finish in the last four overs and look to post anywhere near the 175-run mark.

Pacer Saini is back into the attack. Miller gets an inside edge off the first ball for one before Bavuma drives a full toss straight to the fielder to miss out on some easy runs.

Saini bowls a yorker which Bavuma can only defend before the right-hander walks across and tries to scoop it fine but can't get hold of the shot.

He then drives a full toss through the covers for a couple as Jadeja makes a superb stop on the boundary and he gets a leg bye off the last ball.

Deepak Chahar is back into the attack. He strikes with the first ball of his new spell as Bavuma hits the slower ball straight to Jadeja at long-on.

Bavuma misses out on a fifty on debut as he walks back after a good innings of 49 from 43 balls.

Miller then misses out on the pull shot and is hit on the body before he takes a single to thirdman.

Dwaine Pretorius slaps a short wide delivery to sweeper cover for a single to get off the mark.

Miller is then deceived by the change of pace from Chahar as he tries to run it down to thirdman.

He can't make most of a full toss as he hits it to deep midwicket for just a single as Chahar concedes just three runs in the 18th over.

The fast bowler finishes with excellent figures of 2/22 in his four overs.
20:10   Jadeja strikes; South Africa 3 down


SA 110-3 (15 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Jadeja strikes in the very next over. Van der Dussen (1) gets a leading edge as Jadeja dives to his right to take a sharp catch and bag his first wicket in his fourth and final over.

David Miller gets off the mark with a single to long-on before Bavuma drives Jadeja uppishly through the covers past the fielder who makes the dive.

Three more singles as Jadeja finishes with 1/31 in his four overs.

Left-arm spinners from both ends as Krunal Pandya comes into the attack, to bowl the 14th over.

Bavuma gets a lifeline as he taps it straight to Jadeja at point and sets off for a quick run. He is struggling to make his crease at the non-striker's end but is lucky that the left-hander misses the direct hit.

A single to Miller before Bavuma punches a short ball past point for two runs and then takes another couple through the leg side before taking one as South Africa go past the 100-run mark, in the 14th over.

Pandyas from both ends now as Hardik comes in from the other end. Bavuma walks across and tries to hit the medium pacer on the leg side but misses and is hit on the pads well outside the line before hitting the next on the bounce to long-on for one.

Miller takes a single before Bavuma pulls the next on the bounce to deep midwicket for another single.

Five singles from the over as South Africa reach 110 for three in 15 overs.

19:57   De Kock out for 37-ball 52; SA 2 down


SA 90-2 (12 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Jadeja continues as South Africa continue to keep the scoreboard ticking with regular singles.

Three singles from the first three balls before de Kock pulls a short ball for a boundary to race to his fifty from just 34 balls.

Two more singles as Jadeja concedes nine runs in his third over.

Saini comes back into the attack. A single to Bavuma off the first ball before Kohli's brilliant catch at mid-off helps India make the breakthrough.

De Kock, who hit a quickfire 52 from 37 balls laced with eight fours, miscues the slower ball which goes over the bowler. Kohli does well to rush to his left and then puts in the dive at the last minute to take a superb catch.

New batsman Rassie van der Dussen nearly perishes without facing a delivery as he is sent back trying to respond to Bavuma's call for a quick run but the fielder at midwicket misses the direct hit.

Two singles from the last two balls as Saini concedes just three runs in his second over, while taking the key wicket of de Kock.
19:53   De Kock out for 37-ball 52; SA 2 down


SA 88-2 (11.2 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Jadeja continues as South Africa continue to keep the scoreboard ticking with regular singles.

Three singles from the first three balls before de Kock pulls a short ball for a boundary to race to his fifty from just 34 balls.

Two more singles as Jadeja concedes nine runs in his third over.

Saini comes back into the attack. A single to Bavuma off the first ball before Kohli's brilliant catch at mid-off helps India make the breakthrough.
19:47   De Kock-Bavuma on the attack; SA on top


SA 78-1 (10 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

The singles are coming quite easily for the South African batsmen. A single each to de Kock and Bavuma before the former tries to reverse sweep Jadeja but misses and he manages to take a leg bye.

Bavuma then comes down and clips Jadeja for one before de Kock pulls a short ball for a boundary before taking one to get nine from the over.

Pandya starts his second over with a high full toss which de Kock drives to long-on for one and Bavuma then gets three runs off the next courtesy of two overthrows off a single delivery.

Hardik bowls another short ball which Bavuma slashes over point for a four. The medium pacer fails to learn from his mistake as he bowls another half-tracker which Bavuma cracks through the covers for another four.

A single to the right-hander off the last delivery as South Africa race to 78 for one in 10 overs.

De Kock has smashed his way to 46 from 33 balls, while Bavuma has made 25 from 16 balls.
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19:38   De Kock on the attack; SA race past 50


SA 55-1 (8 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Change in the bowling as left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja comes into the attack.

The two South African batsmen pick three singles each to collect six easy runs from the spinner's first over.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya comes into the attack. Four singles from the first four balls before Bavuma pulls a short ball high into the stands over midwicket for a six.

Pandya then tries the slower bouncer as Bavuma tries to ramp it over the wicketkeeper but is beaten.
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19:31   Hendricks out for 6; SA lose 1st wicket


SA 39-1 (6 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Off-spinner Sundar comes back into the attack for his second spell as he replaces Saini, who conceded 13 runs in his first over.

De Kock watchfully defends the first ball back to the bowler and does the same next ball.

Two more blocks before the left-hander picks a single on the leg side and Bavuma gets a thick outside edge off the last ball to short thirdman.

De Kock miscues the pull shot which goes over the fielder at mid-on as Kohli is unable to get to the ball. He then makes room and crashes an overpitched delivery through the covers for a four.

He hit the next ball square but Dhawan makes a good stop at point before he turns the fifth ball to midwicket for a single.

South Africa are 39 for one in six overs, with de Kock racing to 33 from 22 balls and Bavuma yet to get off the mark.
19:20   Hendricks out for 6; SA lose 1st wicket


SA 31-1 (4 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Chahar bowls a loose delivery to de Kock, short and wide as the left-hander crashes it through point for a four.

A single to de Kock to midwicket before Hendricks sensibly turns the strike over with a quick run on the leg side and the former then picks one off the next.

Hendricks then gifts his wicket away as he tries to loft Chahar down the ground but holes out a simple catch to Sundar at long-on to perish for six.

Temba Bavuma watchfully defends the last ball to end a successful over from Chahar.
19:14   South Africa off to a good start vs India


SA 24-0 (3 ovs) vs India | Scorecard

Pacer Deepak Chahar from the other end. The first ball is slightly short as de Kock punches it into the covers for a single.

Hendricks is squared up by one which moves away slightly as he defends it off the outside half of the bat.

Chahar then gets the outswinger to pitch perfectly as it goes past the outside edge.

However, he follows it up with a poor delivery, full and on the stumps as Hendricks clips it behind square for a four.

Chahar then beats him with another good outswinger as the right-hander pokes away from his body and misses.

Just one over for Sundar with the new ball before he makes way for pacer Navdeep Saini.

De Kock gets a thick outside edge off the first delivery which flies past the slip fielder for a four.

He then drives the next through the covers for another boundary and then clips the third ball through midwicket to make it three fours in a row.

The Proteas captain then takes a single to thirdman before Saini beats Hendricks with the last ball as he plays away from his body.

13 runs from the over as South Africa are off to a flier to reach 24 for no loss in three overs.
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19:03   India opt to bowl vs SA; include 3 spinners


SA 6-0 (1 ov) vs India | Scorecard

Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks are the two openers for South Africa, while off-spinner Washington Sundar will open the bowling for India.

Hendricks defends the first ball before he nudges the next on the leg side for a single to get his team off the mark.

Sundar pitches it right up as de Kock drives it through the covers for a four to get off the mark in some style.

He hits the next ball again into the covers but this time he can't find the gap before taking a single to long-off and Hendricks defends the last ball.
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18:41   India opt to bowl vs SA; include 3 spinners


Check out the playing XIs of the two teams:

India:
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (w/k), Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, Navdeep Saini.

South Africa:
Quinton de Kock (captain, w/k), Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.
18:38   India opt to bowl vs SA; include 3 spinners

India captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and elected to bowl against South Africa in the second T20 International in Mohali.

"It is very difficult to defend here," reasons Kohli at the toss.

India have left out KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Khaleel Ahmed and Rahul Chahar.

Rohit Sharma will open the batting with Shikhar Dhawan, while Shreyas Iyer will hope to strengthen his case in the middle order.

India have been boosted by the return of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who will also play a vital role with the ball.

No wrist spin for India as Ravindra Jadeja, Krunal Pandya and Washington Sundar are the three preferred spinners, who are also quite capable with the bat, along with the pace duo of Deepak Chahar and Navdeep Saini.

The first match in Dharamsala was washed out because of heavy rain.

South Africa have fielded three debutants in Anrich Nortje, Bjorn Fortuin and Temba Bavuma.
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18:06   Pressure on Pant as India look for lead

Welcome to the coverage of the second T20 International between India and South Africa in Mohali on Wednesday.

Rishabh Pant's form would be an important sub-plot when India look to seize the advantage against South Africa in the second match, after a washout in Dharamsala effectively made the series a two-match affair.

The T20 World Cup is more than 12 months away but India captain Virat Kohli has already detailed his plans and expectations from the youngsters in the side.

The skipper did not expect to get a bagful of opportunities when he arrived on the international scene and believes the current crop of youngsters also need to make it count in the limited time they are going to get.

One of them is 21-year-old Rishabh Pant, who can't be bracketed as a 'youngster' anymore having made his debut back in February 2017.

Not a single ball was bowled in the series-opener but there was enough happening on the sidelines and most of it was focussed on Pant.

With Kohli still very much open to having Mahendra Singh Dhoni back on board, pressure is mounting on Pant to do justice to his rich talent.

Considering the circumstances, it was not a surprise that Pant had a hit in the nets right after the team flew from Dharamsala on Monday.

Pressure will also be on leg-spinner Rahul Chahar and and off-spinner Washington Sundar, both of whom have been picked ahead of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for the second straight series.

With 20-odd games to go before the World Cup, the Indian team wants to boost its batting which will require number 8, 9 and 10 to score runs on a regular basis, something which has never been India's strength.

It is also an important series for Shreyas Iyer and Manish Pandey, who have been brought back into the side to solidify the middle order.

The game will also be an opportunity for Shikhar Dhawan to play a substantial knock, having endured a lean tour of the West Indies by his standards.

It a ground he is fond of, having scored a memorable 187 on his Test debut and more recently a 143 in the ODI against Australia in March this year, albeit in a losing cause.

On the other hand, it will be an uphill task for South Africa to beat this Indian side, which has been on a roll for most part.

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