IND vs SA, 2nd T20I as it happened: Miller scores stunning century but India seal series win

Player of the match: KL Rahul (that’s an interesting choice)

India win by 16 runs: David Miller and Suryakumar Yadav come together for a post-match interview (wonder who the player of the match then is going to be). The Indian batter is all praise for Miller, the South African says he got a quick sorry from QdK at the end there. Imagine a better start for South Africa, and this could have gotten trickier. For India, you wonder if you actually learned anything new about them today. The batting looks in good shape, SKY is elite, the bowling continues to remain shaky especially at the death. When the best bowler on the night is one in the reserves....

India win the match by 16 runs and take series 2-0*: Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning knock ends on the winning side, David Miller’s stunning knock ends on the losing side. 458 runs scored on the night, only 6 wickets fell in all, so much for what they said pre-match about maybe not a high-scoring match on a sticky pitch.

Axar Patel to bowl the 20th. And India will have the fielder penalty in place.

Miller on 93* off 44 balls. It’s been a blinder by him.

South Africa 175/3 after 18 overs: That’s a night that went south quickly for Arshdeep. Two wickets in his first over, finishes with 2/62. South Africa score 26 runs from the 19th over... 36 runs needed off the last over for a super over.

South Africa 175/3 after 18 overs: This match, perhaps not so much of a concern, but Harshal continues to be expensive in the death overs. Finishes with 0/45 in 4 overs. SA need 63 off 12.

South Africa 164/3 after 17 overs: That is a fine over from Deepak Chahar, including a superb yorker to QdK, that is slightly spoiled by a four off the last ball. 4-1-24-0 is a fine spell.

Rohit Sharma is back on the field, by the way.

South Africa 156/3 after 16 overs: The task facing SA is such that a 13-run over by Harshal Patel is under par at the moment. And signs that Miller and QdK might be tiring a bit.

HALF CENTURY: From just hovering around 100 SR and sometime below, QdK has reached a 39-ball 50. These two are making India work hard at the moment.

Quinton de Kock has taken time to get going but now now he is clearing the fence regularly. David Miller has crossed his half century. 100 partnership comes up of 58 balls. Are we onto something here?

South Africa 125/3 after 14 overs: FIFTY for Miller! South Africa still need 113 runs off 36 balls but as long as this man is on the crease, especially when he is striking at 200, it’s not over. Quinton de Kock has to get a move on, though. A no-ball from Arshdeep earlier and Miller pounces on to deposit it over long-off. 15 runs off the over.

South Africa 110/3 after 13 overs: Much better second over from Harshal. He almost produces a chance in the first ball but de Kock is dropped by Rahul at mid-off. No boundaries conceded and it’s 8 runs off the over.

South Africa 102/3 after 12 overs: Miller big six off Ashwin in the third delivery. And another monster hit in the fifth delivery. He then pounces on the flatter one in the final delivery to pull it for four. David Miller says it’s game on, but is it too late? If anyone can do it, it is him.

South Africa 83/3 after 11 overs: Back-to-back boundaries from David Miller off Harshal Patel here, who errs with his lengths. 13 runs off that over.

There seems to be something wrong with Rohit Sharma’s nose. He is going off the field. Rahul to lead in the meanwhile.

South Africa 70/3 after 10 overs: Quite the tactical misjudgement it looks like by SA. Ashwin and Axar have combined for 33 runs so far in their five overs bowled. Time for a drinks break.

Ajit Agarkar: With no dew around, you’d expect India to bowl here. This wasn’t a 237 pitch.

A good point that given what see saw from Maharaj.

South Africa 66/3 after 9 overs: QdK with a four off a reverse sweep, striking at 100.00 now.

South Africa 55/8 after 8 overs: Unusual innings so far from QdK who has been joined in the middle by Miller.

WICKET! 6.2: Aiden Markram 33(19) b Axar Patel Well, Axar doesn’t take long to strike again. He is in fine form.SA 47/3

South Africa 45/2 after 6 overs: Markram ups the ante. A four off Arshdeep and then gets a free hit next ball that he smacks down the ground for six.

South Africa 29/2 after 5 overs: Deepak Chahar gets another powerplay over, his third. Lovely shot by Markram for four in that over. He has looked in good touch.

(scores corrected)

Some fun responses to this one.

South Africa 21/2 after 4 overs: Delightful punch through extra cover by Markram off Ashwin for four.

Ashwin in the powerplay.

South Africa 13/2 after 3 overs: Deepak Chahar with couple of fine deliveries in that over, one to Markram and QdK to square them up.

Play resumes.

Play stopped: The lights are not still coming back up and seems like players are using this chance to catch up.

Play stopped: Earlier snake on the field, now floodlights stopped.

WICKET! 1.4: Rilee Rossouw 0(2) ct Dinesh Karthik b Arshdeep Singh Another great start provided by Arshdeep. He shortens the length after a full ball and Rossouw skies it. DK juggles but holds on. South Africa 1/2

WICKET! 1.2: Temba Bavuma 0(7) ct Virat Kohli b Arshdeep Singh Bavuma is having a series to forget here. No runs scored in two matches. Mishits a lofted off drive and goes to Kohli at mid off. South Africa 1/1

South Africa 0/0 after 1 over: Deepak Chahar starts with a maiden over to Temba Bavuma.

Innings break: A word of appreciation for Keshav Maharaj who finished with 2/23 but that only makes SA selection call to drop a spinner for a pacer here further odd.

India 237/3 after 20 overs: What a finish. DK does DK things, with a 4, 6 and 6 in the final over. The last six over cover was special. And Kohli made it clear that he didn’t want the strike there for the sake of a fifty.

KL Rahul with a 28-ball 57.
Virat Kohli with a 28-ball 49.
Dinesh Karthik with a 7-ball 17.

All fine knocks.

And then there was Suryakumar Yadav with a 22-ball 61. Elite!

India 219/2 after 19 overs: It is turned into a decent over Kohli as he finds the boundary twice after the runout.

WICKET! 18.1: Suryakumar Yadav 61(22) Run Out Temba Bavuma Oh dear, what a mix up. Kohli should have probably ran through? He stops after playing the shot and SKY is standing next to him. Then walks off. Probably the only way he was getting out tonight. What a knock. India 209/3

India 209/2 after 18 overs: It is probably the humidity but South Africa have struggled with their lengths... too many full tosses. A long Ngidi over, goes for 15 as SKY smashes another six and India have crossed 200 with 2 overs to go.

India 194/2 after 17 overs: Kohli joins the part in Parnell’s over. 6, 4 and 4 that over.

HALF CENTURY: SURYAKUMAR YADAV! A 18-ball half century. But more than that, some ridiculous shots being played. What form he is in! Third straight fifty, second in this series.

India 171/2 after 16 overs: UNREAL, AGAIN. A six over midwicket and then the bowler throws one wide and he squeezes that over point. Goodness.

India 155/2 after 15 overs: UNREAL! Suryakumar Yadav on fire. First a flick of wrists for six, then a lofted straight shot, then a four and six behind the wicket to finish the over. 22 runs from Rabada’s over. 35 (13) is SKY’s score right now.

India 125/2 after 13 overs: How does Suryakumar come out to bat and right away get going, is a lesson in modern T20 cricket. Lovely intent from the word go.

WICKET! 11.3: K L Rahul 57(28) lbw Keshav Maharaj End of a fine innings from KL Rahul, 57 off 28 balls. Scored a 24-ball half century, got there with a superb six. But soon after Keshav Maharaj strikes. India 107/2

India 96/1 after 10 overs: How Kohli approaches this will be interesting to see? Platform set but will be able to take on spinners right away?

WICKET! Over 9.5: Rohit Sharma 43(37) ct Tristan Stubbs b Keshav Maharaj Maharaj has only managed to keep India’s scoring rate in check and it is him who provides the breakthrough. Seemed like a good sweep, but didn’t have distance. India 96/1

India 94/0 after 9 overs: Huge over for India! 21 runs from Nortje’s second. A four and six (some pull shot!) by Rahul to start the over and two fours for Rohit to finish the over.

India 73/0 after 8 overs: Good over by Maharaj we play gets going after snake stoppage.

A KL Rahul special.

Stoppage in play: A snake on the field!

India 68/0 after 7 overs: Gorgeous flick once agin by Rahul for six. He has raced to 33 off 15 balls.

India 57/0 after 6 overs: Good powerplay for India. Two fours in Maharaj’s over. Rohit is in a better rhythm now, takes on the spinner with the conventional sweep and gets a four. Finishes the over with another.

India 49/0 after 5 overs: Rohit’s best shot of the night, as he finds the gap through offside for a four in Rabada’s over. Rahul too scores a four... good powerplay now for India.

India 36/0 after 4 overs: Rahul with a flick six that he is playing increasingly more frequently. Follows that up with a four. Taking on initiative with Rohit not finding his groove. The captain too gets a four to his name.

India 21/0 after 3 overs: Rohit plays out five dot balls in Ngidi’s over either side of a six that wasn’t the most convincing shot either. He is having a bit of a rough time out there in the middle at the moment.

Injury concern for Rohit Sharma: A streaky four for the Indian captain. He went for a scoop, the ball bounced a bit more, and hit him on the fingers. Nearly lobbed to the fielder at slip. A lengthy break actually, as he gets it looked at. 10/0 (1.3)

India 6/0 after 1 over: Rahul with a punchy start to the night, four through the offside. But good over eventually from Rabada. Early signs, decent bounce on offer but doesn’t seem to be much movement off the seam or through the air.

Rabada to start off. Rohit and Rahul in the middle.

6.55 pm: The pre-match talk from the experts in the venue was about the pitch being bit of a mystery tonight. Looks like there might be early assistance for bowlers and might not be a proper high-scoring affair. Rohit Sharma said too that the team might have to be a bit cautious early on.

India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, R Ashwin, Deepak Chahar, Arshdeep Singh

South Africa XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Temba Bavuma (c), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.

Team news: No changes for India. South Africa bring in Ngidi in place of Shamsi.

TOSS: South Africa opt to bowl first.

Some ODI update before the T20I starts...

India vs South Africa ODIs: Shikhar Dhawan named captain

World Cup squad reserve players Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi and Deepak Chahar named in the ODI squad to face South Africa.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the second T20 International between India and South Africa.

From Kerala, the teams have moved to Assam. The venue is Guwahati for this penultimate match for India before the T20 World Cup. There are still question marks around Jasprit Bumrah’s availability who has been, for now, only officially ruled out of this series. Will we see his replacement Siraj in action? Or will India stick to the XI from the first match they won convincingly on the back of a superb bowling performance?

Squads

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (w), Temba Bavuma (c), Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Dwaine Pretorius, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Reeza Hendricks, Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, Heinrich Klaasen.

India:  Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohd. Siraj

Screenshots in the blog courtesy bcci.tv / Disney+Hotstar