New Chandigarh: “It’s okay, totally fine…we should have moved on to a second plan if the first one didn’t work.” Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav’s words summed up a frustrating evening for the hosts as South Africa came back in style to beat India by 51 runs in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday.
From the moment Quinton de Kock found his rhythm, it was South Africa’s night. The left-hander, known for his blistering starts, was at his best with a 46-ball 90, which also included seven stunning sixes. His calculated attack, coupled with perfect timing, laid the foundation for a tremendous overall result. Aided by late cameos from Donovan Ferreira (30 off 16) and David Miller (20 off 12), the Proteas posted an impressive 213 for 4 in their 20 overs.
For India, it was an evening where not everything went according to plan. Pacer Arshdeep Singh, who is usually reliable in the powerplay, had a tough outing – one he would like to quickly forget. He struggled with his line and once conceded seven misses in a single over. Although they picked up a few wickets later, the damage was already done as the South Africans capitalized on every loose throw.
De Kock, who was named player of the match, admitted he enjoyed the freedom of form and familiarity with Indian bowlers. “It just happens – low scores and high scores. When I get going, I try to make it count,” he said after the game. According to him, the wicket was slow beforehand and required patience. “When India fought, it went the other way – two-kicking with more pace. That was the difference,” he explained.
The Indian fans had little to cheer about in the chase, especially after the early collapse. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma fell easily while Suryakumar himself perished in the powerplay. From then on, India had to keep catching up. Tilak Varma put up a resistance with a combative 62 from just 34 balls – peppered with clear boundaries and fearless strokeplay – but he lacked support at the other end. India were eventually bowled out for 162, falling 51 runs short of the target.
Reflecting on the defeat, Suryakumar admitted that South Africa had adapted better. “Even in the first innings they realized how long they had to bowl. There was a little dew but that’s no excuse. We could have switched to a different plan,” he said. He also took responsibility for his own innings and added, “With the bat, me and Shubman could have got off to a good start. Abhishek doesn’t always manage to do that. I should have batted lower.”
However, the captain defended the team’s decision to promote Axar Patel to No. 3, citing his recent good form. “We saw him batting. He played well. We will see what happens in the next few games,” Suryakumar said.
On the other hand, South African captain Aiden Markram praised his team’s overall performance. “Tonight is much better. It started with a special knock from QDK and some important contributions. The bowlers are trending in the right direction and the fielding was good too,” he said.
Markram also spoke about the importance of balancing the team preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup. “Until the SA20 is ready, we have to give all the players some playing time. You put your hand up and do what it takes. You are never bigger than the team,” he added.
With the win, South Africa leveled the five-match T20I series 1-1 and went into the third game with momentum. For India, it was another reminder that adaptability – not just aggression – wins games in modern T20 cricket.
