• South Africa defeated India in the thrilling second T20I by 3 wickets.

  • Despite defending a modest total, Varun Chakravarthy bagged a brilliant five-wicket haul for India.

Twitter reactions: Gerald Coetzee’s cameo overpowers Varun Chakravarthy’s 5-fer as South Africa pip India in 2nd T20I
South Africa beat India in the 2nd T20I (Image Source: X)

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In the 2nd T20I of the India tour of South Africa 2024 at St George’s Park, South Africa successfully chased down a modest target set by India, winning the game by 3 wickets in a thriller that extended to the 19th over. After opting to bowl first, South Africa’s disciplined bowling effort kept India to a low total, which the Proteas ultimately surpassed to level the series.

India’s struggle with the bat

Opting to bowl first, South Africa’s bowlers put India under immense pressure from the outset. Indian skipper Sanju Samson was dismissed for a duck, and India’s top order failed to provide any stability, with both Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma managing only 4 runs each. Tilak Varma (20 off 20 balls) and Axar Patel (27 off 21 balls) attempted to stabilize the innings, but their efforts were cut short by South Africa’s tight bowling.

The middle order also found it difficult to break free, with Hardik Pandya playing a cautious knock of 39 runs off 45 deliveries, featuring four boundaries and a six. His efforts, however, were insufficient to set a daunting total, as India wrapped up their innings at 124/6 in 20 overs. For South Africa, Marco Jansen was economical, each picking up a wicket, while Nqabayomzi Peter’s figures of 4 overs, 1/20, stood out as particularly effective.

Varun Chakravarthy shines despite a low total by India

Defending a modest total, India needed early breakthroughs to keep the game in contention. Varun Chakravarthy led the Indian bowling attack brilliantly, claiming 5 wickets for just 17 runs in his 4 overs. His stunning performance included the key wickets of Tristan Stubbs and Andile Simelane, which left South Africa struggling in the middle overs.

Despite Chakravarthy’s heroics, South Africa managed to recover thanks to contributions from Reeza Hendricks (24 off 21) and a well-paced 47 off 41 balls from Tristan Stubbs. Gerald Coetzee‘s quick-fire 19 off 9 deliveries towards the end helped South Africa edge closer to the target, even as wickets continued to tumble at the other end.

Also WATCH: SA vs IND – David Miller plucks a one-handed stunner to dismiss Tilak Varma in 2nd T20I

South Africa’s last-minute triumph

In a tense finish, South Africa reached 128/7 in 19 overs, securing a 3-wicket victory. While India’s bowlers kept the contest alive till the end, they couldn’t stop Coetzee and the tail from clinching the game. Chakravarthy’s 5-wicket haul went in vain, as the South African lower order held its nerve to bring the hosts across the line.

Here is how Twitter reacted

Also READ: SA vs IND: Fans brutally troll Abhishek Sharma for his flop show with the bat in the 2nd T20I

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AKSHAT GAUR
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