After the first T20I between India and South Africa was washed out due to rain, the weather gods relented at Mohali and allowed for a full 40-over game between the two sides. India opted to bowl first and the visitors could pile up just 149 runs on the board, which proved an easy task for the Men in Blue who got to the target in 19 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Deepak Chahar starred for the side as he finished with 2 for 22, before skipper Virat Kohli scored a sedate fifty to take India home.
It was all about Quinton de Kock in the first half, though, as the captain punished the Indian bowlers. Despite the early loss of Reeza Hendricks’ wicket, the left-hander kept going and put on 39 in the powerplay overs. He was then joined by Temba Bavuma, who broke free soon after and sent Hardik Pandya over the ropes in the eighth over.
De Kock got to his fifty in 35 balls but failed to capitalize as he was soon sent back, caught by the fielder at mid on. The Proteas had piled on 88 in 12 overs before he was dismissed, and the team needed their big-hitter David Miller to come good and raise his game in the death overs.
However, Team India tightened the noose around the visitors as Miller could only score 18 in 15 balls. At the other end, Bavuma was struggling and was eventually out for 49 but after eating up 43 deliveries.
In reply, the Indians got off to an aggressive start as they moved to 30 in the first three overs. Shikhar Dhawan, who had accumulated just over 100 runs in his last seven white ball innings’ across formats showed signs of coming back to form as he sent Kagiso Rabada to the boundary, before his opening partner Rohit Sharma was severe on Anrich Nortje. The latter kept bowling short balls to the right-hander, and had to bear the consequences as he was smashed all around the park by Rohit. He was eventually trapped LBW by Andile Phehlukwayo.
However, in walked a determined Kohli, and along with Dhawan ensured that India were over the danger zone. Dhawan was sent back after Miller plucked a stunning diving one-handed catched out of thin air, and Rishabh Pant failed once again, but Kohli, at the other end, did not lose focus. He completed his fifty in 40 balls and then combined with Shreyas Iyer to take the team home. With his knock of 72, Kohli also ensured that he became India’s leading run-scorer in T20Is, going past Rohit.
Brief scores: South Africa 149/5 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 52; Deepak Chahar 2-22) lost to India 151/3 in 19 overs (Virat Kohli 72*) by seven wickets.