SAVENTH HEAVEN
Miller, van der Dussen hand India 7-wkt loss in 1st T20
New Delhi, June 9: David Miller carried his sensational IPL form to international cricket as South Africa made a mockery of the Indian bowling attack to gun down their highest ever run-chase and race to a seven wicket win in the opening T20 here on Thursday.
Rassie Van der Dussen
(71 not out off 45 ) and Miller (64 not out off 31) shared an unbeaten 131run stand to chase down a stiff 212-run target with ease and five balls to spare.
India had posted an imposing 211 for four with the help of Ishan Kishan
(76 off 48 balls), new skipper Rishabh Pant (29 off
16) and Hardik Pandya (31 off 12).
However, it was not meant to be as the Indians were outdone by the brilliance of Miller and van der Dussen, who toyed with the opposition attack.
South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma (10) and Quinton de Kock (22) were off to a flyer as they raced to 22/0 in the first two overs. However, the everreliable Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a brilliant leg-cutter to dismiss Bavuma.
Dwayne Pretorius (29 off
13) and de Kock then took leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Hardik to the cleaners.
While Chahal gave away
16 runs, Hardik, whose return to bowling was highly anticipated ahead of the series, leaked 18 runs and was slammed for three sixes by Pretorius, including one that was
91m long.
Harshal Patel finally broke the partnership as he bamboozled Pretorius with a slow full toss.
The Indian bowlers kept striking at regular intervals and limit the boundaries, slowing the proceedings. But ?Killer Miller’ had different ideas.
Continuing his stellar run from the IPL, the Southpaw smashed a total of three sixes and a couple of fours in the 12th and 13th over to get South Africa back in the game, while van der Dussen played the perfect second fiddle.
With 80 needed off the last six. Miller brought up his fifth T20 half-century.
India had the opportunity to break the dangerous partnership between Miller and van der Dussen but Shreyas was guilty of dropping the latter at deep midwicket on 29.