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Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee added 42 unbeaten runs to help the Proteas secure a nervy three-wicket triumph over India in the second Wonder Cement T20 International at Dafabet St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Sunday evening.
The eighth-wicket stand came off just 20 balls as the Proteas reached 128 for seven with Stubbs ending unbeaten on 47 while Coetzee faced just nine balls but ended 19 not out. India, who had been asked to bat first by Aiden Markram, were restricted to 124 for six with Hardik Pandya top-scoring with an unbeaten 39.
The home side were odds-on favourites to level the four-match series after an excellent bowling display had India struggling to 124. But career-best figures of 5-17 from spinner Varun Chakravarthy had the hosts in all sorts of trouble at 86 for seven.
“Fortunately the run rate never got away from us. I always believed that we could get 30 from the final 3 overs,” said Stubbs after the match.
However, Stubbs, who struck seven boundaries – three of which got South Africa over the line with six balls to spare – played calmly and with maturity while Coetzee provided the spark needed. “The Karate Kid” struck two fours and a six to help Stubbs get the home side over the line.
“We will always take the game on and if that means losing wickets along the way, then we will take that on the chin. That is the type of game we want to play,” added Markam.
Chakravarthy was sublime with his leg-spinners, having Reeza Hendricks (24), Markram (3), Marco Jansen (7) and David Miller (0) all clean-bowled, while Heinrich Klaasen holed out to Rinku Singh on the long-off boundary for just two.
“In T20 cricket, if someone gets a five-for then that is special, but Varun’s bowling was incredible today. He has been waiting for that for a long time. He has worked hard on his game and I am really proud of him, said Suyrakumar Yadav.
Ryan Rickelton (13) and Hendricks gave the Proteas a decent start with an opening stand of 22 from 17 balls but then Rickelton whipped Arshdeep Singh (4-0-41-1) straight to Rinku on the fine leg fence.
Chakravarthy, along with Ravi Bishnoi (4-0-21-1), had the Proteas in all sorts of trouble, but once the seamers came back into the attack, man of the match Stubbs and Coetzee held fast to see the home side to victory.
Earlier, Jansen (4-1-25-1) and Coetzee (4-0-25-1) had put the visitors under immense pressure with Jansen starting the match with a wicket-maiden, clean-bowling Sanju Samson with the third ball of the match.
“I thought we bowled really well. We stuck to our plans and executed them well. Really proud of the guys, especially Peter and Andile, they are young and really stood up today,” said Markram.
Coetzee had Abhishek Sharma top-edging to Jansen at short fine leg for just four before Andile Simelane (3-0-20-1) trapped Yadav in front for just four as well. Tilak Varma (20) struck one four and a six from 20 deliveries but was then brilliantly caught by Miller at short extra-cover from the bowling of Markram (1-0-4-1).
Axar Patel (27) was run out at the non-striker’s end, after Nqaba Peter had managed to flick the ball onto the stumps from a straight-drive from Pandya. Pandya though tried his best, farming the strike as much as possible, striking four boundaries and a six from 45 deliveries.
His stand of 37 from 32 balls with Arshdeep (7 not out) was key in helping India get to a total worth defending. But in the end, it provide a touch too low as Stubbs and Coetzee made merry with their 20-ball stand.
The teams now head to the Highveld where the final two matches will be fought for at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg and Supersport Park in Centurion.
“The last two games are going to show up a lot of entertainment and we are looking forward to it,” ended Yadav.
