India vs South Africa: T20 World Cup 2022🏏

They’ve beaten India by five wickets, with two balls to spare. And that is a statement win too. India had theirs over Pakistan last week but now South Africa have showed they know how to deal with pressure. After they recovered from 24 for 3, limped to the halfway mark on 40 and then Aiden Markram and David Miller changed gears, slammed 76 runs in 10 overs, each scored a half-century and in the end, secured a comfortable win.

But let’s not forget that South Africa set the tone in the field. Their fast men were exceptional and used the short ball to excellent effect. India’s attack were also outstanding for the most part. They made use of fuller lengths and found swing but in the end, both captain had to gamble on how they used their spinner. Temba Bavuma can’t catch a break with the bat and failed again but made the right decision to only use Keshav Maharaj for three overs, while giving Aiden Markram one.

Between them, they conceded 33 runs in four overs. Rohit Sharma bowled R Ashwin out and used him to bowl the 17th over. At that stage, South Africa needed 25 runs from 18 balls. They took 13 off Ashwin and even though he dismissed Tristan Stubbs, it was too little, too late. The bowlers played brilliantly for the team as they had took early wickets of Indian batsman. Ashwin lost his confidence when Virat dropped a catch off Markram on his bowling. We got to see some fireworks from Miller at the end.

All the Indian batsman like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli failed to fire against South Africa. Surya Kumar Yadav played a brilliant knock of 66 runs and helped his team to post a defendable total. I would say that India missed many chances like Virat Kohli’s dropping a catch off Ashwin bowl and Rohit Sharma missing many run-out chances. The luck was in South Africa’s favour. India looked great with the ball for the first 10 overs. After the Drinks break, the batters David Miller and Aiden Markram shifted their gears and played exceptionally well for their team. That was the turning point of the match !!!

Indian bowlers had bowled brilliantly for the first 10 overs . Arshdeep Singh picked early wickets and dismissed the batsman who had scored big runs against Bangladesh. If India would have scored 150+ runs then we would surely the win the match and keep the hopes alive for Pakistan. David Miller hit an unbeaten 59 off 46 balls and Aiden Markram scored 52 as South Africa defeated India by 5 wickets in Perth on Sunday.

India fans – do you believe in coincidences? 😜#T20WorldCup #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/e3sJdlBrxT

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) October 30, 2022

The Proteas were reduced to 24 for 3 in their chase of 134 runs in the game but a 76-run stand between Aiden Markram and David Miller helped them recover. Aiden Markram fell soon after his fifty but David Miller stayed there till the end to finish the game. It was Suryakumar Yadav’s 68 off 40 balls that had helped India post 133 for 9 vs South Africa after skipper Rohit Sharma opted to bat first. Lungi Ngidi had returned figures of 4 for 29.

Can Pakistan still make it?

Two defeats, both coming on the final ball of matches against India and Zimbabwe, have left Pakistan needing something special to make it to the semi-finals. And their hopes have taken another blow thanks to India’s defeat against South Africa – a result that complicates the qualification permutations for Babar Azam’s side.

If Pakistan beat South Africa on November 3 and Bangladesh on November 6, they will have amassed six points. But it is completely out of Pakistan’s own hands and looking increasingly unlikely that six points will be enough, although not mathematically impossible. Sunday’s win for South Africa means that even if Pakistan beat the Proteas in their next match, it will not be enough to see them leapfrog Temba Bavuma’s side. Net run rate could yet be a factor, so a big margin of victory in at least one of the remaining games wouldn’t hurt.

Key Upcoming Matches

India vs Bangladesh – November 2

This is the fixture that could turn Group 2 on its head. A win for Bangladesh would blow the group wide open, putting them two points clear of India with just one game to play and potentially opening a path for India’s semi-final spot to be snatched from them in the last round of matches. Should India win, then they will have more than a foot in the semi-finals, with Zimbabwe awaiting them in Sunday’s fifth and final group game.

I think India would clearly win against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. They have a good record against both these teams. South Africa bowlers had more pace than swing. Returning to the team at the expense of Tabraiz Shamsi, pacer Lungi Ngidi was the wrecker-in-chief as he ran through the famed Indian top-order with four wickets during an incisive spell of fast bowling on a pacy track. Indian bowlers had more swing than that of South Africa’s bowlers.

This result has big implications for the rest of the group, particularly Pakistan, whose semi-final hopes are hanging by a thread. South Africa’s win means that not only do Pakistan have to beat South Africa on Thursday but also hope either India lose to Bangladesh and Zimbabwe or South Africa are defeated by the Netherlands. I’ll be back with you for the Pakistan-South Africa match. Have a good week.