KARNIVAL TIME
Dinesh, Avesh engineer India’s series-levelling win
I’m very secure in this set-up. In the last game, things didn’t go well but I felt safe after going back to the dressing room. I am thinking a bit better and am able to assess situations better. That comes from planning and experience
Dinesh Karthik, Man of the match
Dinesh Karthik played a knock to remember before Avesh Khan gave his dad a perfect birthday present with a fiery spell as India steam-rolled South Africa by 82 runs here on Friday to level the five-match series 2-2.
Karthik (55 off 27) scored his maiden fifty close to 16 years after his T20 debut and alongside vice-captain Hardik Pandya (46 off 31) took India to a fighting 169 for six.
For the second game in a row, South African batters faltered and collapsed to 87 for nine in 16.5 overs with skipper Temba Bavuma retired hurt. Avesh (4/18) led India’s brilliant display with the ball and recorded his career-best figures in the process. It was an away team’s lowest total in T20 Internationals in India.
Quinton de Kock (14), who missed the last two games due to a wrist injury, was run out after getting a ‘yes and no’ from Dwaine Pretorius at the other end.
Earlier, the Indians were struggling at 81 for four before a 65-run stand between Hardik and Karthik brought the home team back into the game.
India was able to amass 73 runs in the last five overs. Having won its fourth toss in as many games, South Africa put the Indians on the back-foot in the powerplay despite the absence of its lead bowler Kagiso Rabada due to an injury.
The other pacer, who missed due to an injury was Wayne Parnell while star opener Quinton de Kock made a welcome return at the expense of Reeza Hendricks.
Ishan Kishan, who played some fine strokes en route to his 27 off 26, was dismissed on the first ball of Anrich Nortje’s opening spell.
India’s top three has not looked comfortable against high quality pace in the series and it was evident here once again.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who had found form in the previous game, was the first one to depart after the extra bounce from Lungi Ngidi induced the outside edge.
Post the powerplay, skipper Rishabh Pant and Hardik, gave the innings a move on with a 41-run stand.
Indian batters have targeted South Africa’s weak link, the spinners, throughout the series and that trend continued on Friday.
Hardik hammered Tabraiz Shamsi for successive sixes while a struggling Pant was trying to find his range at the other end.
However, the India skipper once again went for the big one against a wide ball and that led to his downfall.
The momentum-changing stand came via Hardik and Karthik who swept his way to a memorable knock. Standing deep in the crease, Karthik relied on the sweeps -conventional towards square-leg, slogs over cow corner against spinners and pacers, to get the bulk of his boundaries.
The most attractive stroke of his innings was the slog sweep off pacer Pretorius that sailed over deep square leg.
BRIEF SCORES:
India 169/6 in 20 overs (D Karthik 55, H Pandya 46) bt South Africa 87 in 16.5 overs (A Khan 4/18)