Riding on a late 98-run fifth-wicket partnership between Manish Pandey (79 off 48 balls) and former skipper MS Dhoni (52 off 28 balls), India reached 188/4 against South Africa in the second T20I.
It was again a story of inconsistent and poor bowling from the Proteas as they allowed India to get to their eventual total even after finding the formula of restricting them.
When Suresh Raina was dismissed, India were 90 for four in the 11th over. It looked like the home side would finally restrict the visitors to a modest total. But what followed was a mess for them as poor field placements, some lucky as well as brilliant shots got India to their eventual score.
Dhoni scored a half-century at a strike rate of over 185, proving once again that he still has in him to get the boundaries going towards the end while Manish Pandey kept the scoreboard ticking while Dhoni was finding his feet. Pandey hammered South Africa’s most successful bowler from the last match, Tabraiz Shamsi whereas Dhoni took 17 runs off Dane Paterson’s last over. Paterson is known to be the death-overs specialist but he had no clue how to contain the unorthodox Dhoni.
Here is how Twitter reacted to India’s innings in the second T20I:
Dhoni's innings:
First 19 balls – 24 runs, 1×4, 1×6
Last 9 balls – 28 runs, 3×4, 2×6#SAvInd— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) February 21, 2018
#Dhoni on 🔥. Watching a t 20 after long let’s gooo indiaaaaa
— VarunDhawan (@Varun_dvn) February 21, 2018
Last 4 overs 55 . Hathyar chalana nahi bhoolein, Special hits from a special player , Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Great effort from Pandey as well. Best wishes to the bowlers to defend 188
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 21, 2018
Manish Pandey highest score
T20I: 79* vs SA at Centurion
T20: 114* vs DC at Centurion
— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) February 21, 2018
This is the ground of course where Manish Pandey made the first hundred in the IPL by an Indian #SAvIND
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) February 21, 2018
Waah ! Dhoni , kya maara. Great innings from Manish Pandey and MS Dhoni and 188 is a very competitive score #SAvIND
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) February 21, 2018
Back foot over cover for 6! Off a fast bowler! Shot of the day from Dhoni. Guess last over is his territory!!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 21, 2018
A modified version of "When you win, say nothing. When you lose, say less." When MS doesn't perform speak less, when he performs say none coz his Willow does the talking !!! #Dhoni
— Prabhu (@Cricprabhu) February 21, 2018
MS Dhoni scored his 2nd T20I fifty today #SAvIND #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/qox0Q7ITCt
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 21, 2018
In South Africa, crowd chanting Dhoni Dhoni, what a Legend #SAvsIND
— V (@ShivaAboveALL) February 21, 2018
Rarely is @msdhoni as intense and agitated. Well played both @msdhoni and @im_manishpandey what a finish for India. Think enough. #SAvIND
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) February 21, 2018
Dhoni & Last Over
6, 4, 4, 2, 1
— Anant Upadhay (@im__anant) February 21, 2018
Mahi maar raha hai.. The finished Dhoni finishes off the innings with some flurry..#SAvIND
— Abhinav kaka (@kabhinav08) February 21, 2018
Bowling the final over when MS Dhoni is batting still is one of the most difficult jobs in world cricket. He will make sure you walk back disappointed. #SAvIND
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) February 21, 2018
It's M 'n M show in Centurion as well. #Manish #Mahi 😋
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) February 21, 2018
