Heinrich Klaasen smashed a career-best 81, off only 46 balls, at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack to put South Africa 2-0 ahead in the five-match T20I series against India. Chasing only 149, South Africa found themselves reeling at 29/3 against Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4-0-13-4) before Temba Bavuma (35 in 30 balls) and Klaasen added 64. Once Bavuma fell, David Miller (20 in 15) helped Klaasen add 51 in 22 balls to take the game away from India.
Klaasen slammed seven fours and five sixes, invoking memories of his other outstanding innings against India, the 40-ball 69 in Centurion in 2017/18. He played spin and pace with equal ease, often hitting through the line to clear the small boundary.
Earlier, asked to bat, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad early before Ishan Kishan (34 in 21 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (40 in 35) added 45 for the second wicket. However, they could not force the pace against Kagiso Rabada (4-0-15-1) and Wayne Parnell (4-0-23-1). Neither Rishabh Pant nor Hardik Pandya lasted, and Pant surprised all by promoting Axar Patel above the dangerous Dinesh Karthik. When Karthik emerged, he blasted his way to an unbeaten 21-ball 30 to take India to 148/6.
Brief scores
India 148/6 in 20 overs (Shreyas Iyer 40; Anrich Nortje 2-36) lost to South Africa 149/6 in 18.2 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 81; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4-13) by 4 wickets with 10 balls to spare. Player of the Match: Heinrich Klaasen.