Highlights, India vs South Africa, 2nd T20I at Mohali, Full Cricket Score: Kohli, Iyer guide hosts to seven-wicket win

Most Man of the Match awards in T20Is:

12 – Mohammad Nabi
11 – VIRAT KOHLI*
11 – Shahid Afridi

South Africa missed a trick by holding back Rabada for the final over. Should have bowled the 17th and 19th over. Not a very impressive tactic form the first-time skipper de Kock. 

Overall, it has been a thoroughly professional performance by India. They dominated the match throughout and finished with an over to spare. And yet another unbeaten innings for Virat in a successful run-chase.

Virat Kohli is the Man of the Match! 

Kohli: Thank you, you reminded me of the best T20I game (IND vs AUS, 2016 WT20) of my career! Today was slightly different, and a slightly better pitch, so you could get more value for your shots. Lot of character. They got off to a good start. To pull things back from that shows a lot of character. We’re looking to try new people, see who stands up in crunch situations. Lots of positives for us.

(What inspires his consistency?) The badge in front of my shirt. It’s the pride of playing for one’s country. If you want to make your team win, you will find a way to perform. Get the team across the line anyhow. Test cricket, one-day cricket, the will should be to win for your country.

India win second T20I by seven wickets to beat South Africa for the first time in India. Shreyas Iyer with a boundary to clinch the win for India. The hosts lead the three-match series 1-0.

Iyer is down the wicket and burries the ball straight to long on fence. He struck this all along the ground, taking no real risks and ensuring he remains unbeaten to see India home.

After 18 overs,India 138/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 64 , Shreyas Iyer 11)

Kohli begins the over with a wonderful six over backward square leg and even though Rabada is able to give just a single off the next five balls, India need run-a-ball to register a win.

Highest T20I run-getter! 

Virat Kohli is now the highest run-getter in T20Is, going past Rohit Sharma’s 2,434 runs.

After 17 overs,India 131/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 57 , Shreyas Iyer 11)

Kohli with a couple of boundaries as India are now closing in on what looks a certain victory. The Indian captain is at the forfront of it as he raises his 22nd T20I half-century. Phehlukwayo’s over costs 11 runs and India now need just 19 off 18 balls.

Did you know?

Virat Kohli has now 22 fifty-plus scores in T20Is – the most by any player, going past Rohit Sharma (21).

After 16 overs,India 120/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 47 , Shreyas Iyer 10)

Fortuin slips in a very tidy over given the stage of the game. Just five singles from this over. India now need 30 runs off 24 balls. Kohli inching towards his fifty

After 15 overs,India 115/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 44 , Shreyas Iyer 8)

Iyer provides a much-needed boundary for India, just when the Proteas were trying to increase the gap between the runs required and balls left but Nortje’s over has helped them with 10 runs. India need 35 runs off 30 balls now.

After 14 overs,India 105/3 ( Virat Kohli (C) 41 , Shreyas Iyer 1)

Another day and anothed wasted opportunity for Rishabh Pant. Fortuin picks his first wicket of a ball which is surely not going to fetch him many.

OUT! And once again Rishabh Pant has thrown it away. Cameraman pans straightaway to the dressing room with the new batting coach, Vikram Rathour, and head coach Ravi Shastri in focus. They won’t be pleased. It was a nothing delivery from Fortuin, who drops it halfway down the track and Pant swivels to pull it over fine leg but doesn’t time it at all. Poor execution. First wicket for Fortuin.

Pant c Shamsi b Fortuin 4(5)

Rishabh Pant’s SR in T20Is:

Batting first : 95.18
Chasing : 138.41

That catch was just unbelievable. Miller first made some ground and then just threw himself to the line of the ball to take that one-handed blinder. 

However, Pant has come out to bat at No 4. It will be interesting to see his approach tonight following the recent criticism from the head-coach. The youngster will be desperate to stay at the crease till the end of this game.

After 13 overs,India 101/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 40 , Rishabh Pant (W) 2)
 

Anrich Nortje returns to the bowling crease after his solitary over that went for 13 runs. Much better second over for the fast bowler allowing only five runs from the over, but the Proteas had a chance had Bavuma hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end as Pant hurries for a single. India go past the 100-run mark, need 49 in 42 balls.

After 12 overs,India 96/2 ( Virat Kohli (C) 37 , Rishabh Pant (W) 1)

Kohli flicks onto the onside for what was heading towards the boundary before Bavuma makes a diving intervention to keep it down to three, if his fielding effort was valiant, Miller’s catch was very close to realms of fables and fantasies. Dhawan’s departure brings Rishabh Pant in the middle with a lot of expectations riding on him. A gift of a full toss from Shamsi to help the wicket-keeper batsman to bunt it down to long on for a single to get off the mark. Seven runs from the over. India need 54 runs in 48 balls.

OUT! My word! David Miller has plucked out an outrageous catch at long on. Absolutely sensational stuff this! Dhawan shimmies down the wicket and perhaps gets a little too close to the pitch of the ball as he doesn’t get the elevation right, but still his shot packed a punch. It was fiercely hit down the ground and Miller flies parallel to the ground while pulling off a blinder. Kohli is surpised as much as anyone who has witnessed it, and all Dhawan can do is smile as he heads towards the dressing room.

Dhawan c Miller b Shamsi 40(31)

After 11 overs,India 89/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 39 , Virat Kohli (C) 32)

First look of Bjorn Fortuin. In what was turning out to be a rather good first over in T20Is for Fortuin is ruined by a six off the last ball by a helmet-less Shikhar Dhawan. Ten runs from the over.

Not much is happening for the South African bowlers at this point. Both Virat and Shikhar are running away with the game. 

Meanwhile for Shikhar, who has been out of form of late, these two T20Is on batting friendly wickets, will be a perfect platform to have some runs under his belt and get his confidence back. Going into the next World T20, India will be playing a lot of white-ball cricket and Shikhar is an important part of this set-up.

Most 30-plus scores in T20Is:

33 – Martin Guptill
32 – VIRAT KOHLI*
31 – JP Duminy

After 10 overs,India 79/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 31 , Virat Kohli (C) 30)

Shamsi continuing. He is only bowler to successfully not leak a boundary after bowling couple of overs, the Proteas do have another spinner in their ranks in Bjorn Fortuin but he is playing his first match, we might see him soon. Six singles and a wide from the over as India reach the halfway mark. With nine wickets in hand they need 71 runs off the final 10, should be an easy chase.

After 9 overs,India 72/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 28 , Virat Kohli (C) 27)

Just when South Africa got couple of good overs in and were trying to pull things back, the Indians have taken 15 runs from Pretorius’ over to ensure their control doesn’t slip away. Kohli with a six to begin the over and then Dhawan with a boundary down the ground.

After 8 overs,India 57/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 23 , Virat Kohli (C) 17)

Spin for the first time in the innings. Tabraiz Shamsi, the left-arm wrist-spinner is into the attack. Very tidy start from him, just five runs from the over. Clearly the more pace you provide the more easy it is for batsmen to score runs is what one can deduce from how things have progressed so far. Dhawan and Kohli recognise that and knock the ball around for singles.

After 7 overs,India 52/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 21 , Virat Kohli (C) 14)

In what was looking a rather quiet over, could have been really bad one for India had bowler Pretorius hit the stumps from what looked like few yards to run out Shikhar Dhawan, who responded for a quick single after the ball rolled on to the leg side of the pitch. Lucky escape for Dhawan, India go past the 50-run mark in the over as well.

After 6 overs,India 47/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 19 , Virat Kohli (C) 12)

A lovely cover drive from Kohli to start the over but there is more action as SA review for a caught behind against Kohli. The Indian captain was cut in halves with a ball that just jagged back a touch, there is clear evidence of no bat involved but the ball had brushed the back pad and hence they had to check for the leg before as well, which turned out to be too close for comfort in the end as the ball tracking showed that the ball would have clipped the bails and Kohli survives on umpire’s call. Phehlukwayo continues to create a lot of problems with the ball.

After 5 overs,India 41/1 ( Shikhar Dhawan 19 , Virat Kohli (C) 7)

Another bowling change: Dwaine Pretorius comes into the attack. Dhawan is off the strike with a single before Kohli picks up a couple and then whips one for a boundary. A single of the penultimate ball to garner eight runs from the over.

So, the change of length has worked for South Africa. Rohit was taking the game away from them. Well now, just brace yourself for the much-awaited Rabada vs Kohli contest for the first time in this season.

Recently in the Ashes, we had experienced some epic battle between Smith and Archer. Let’s hope this Virat-Rabada rivalry will also live upto the expectations.