India took an early lead in their T20I series against South Africa on Friday, and the Men in Blue will now aim to make it 2-0 on Sunday. In the first match, India batted first, with Sanju Samson’s century helping them cross the 200-run mark. Tilak Varma also contributed, scoring a quick 33 off just 18 balls. While defending the total, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi delivered a solid performance, combining to claim six wickets as South Africa were bowled out for 141.
The second T20I between India and South Africa is set to be played at St George’s Oval, Gqeberha, in Port Elizabeth on Sunday, November 10.
South African bowlers struggled to contain India’s run flow in the first match, with Gerald Coetzee picking up three wickets but conceding 37 runs in his four overs. Later on, when South Africa came in to bat, none of their players managed to score more than 25 runs, which ultimately led to India securing a 61-run victory.
Key Details: When and where to watch
- Second Match Date: 10 November (Friday)
- Time: 8:30 p.m. IST
- Venue: St. Groge Park, Gqeberha
- TV Broadcast: Available on Sports18 channels
- Live Streaming: Available on JioCinema app and website
Concerns for Abhishek Sharma
One of the players who will be under scrutiny heading into the second T20I is Abhishek Sharma, who has failed to impress with the bat recently. After being dismissed cheaply for just 7 runs in the first T20I, Sharma’s struggles continue. He was dismissed by Gerald Coetzee, getting caught off a full delivery just outside off stump after an awkward shot.
This latest failure adds to his growing list of underwhelming performances, and concerns about his consistency in the opening slot are mounting. The pressure at Shamrna is escalating as Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are already locked up in India’s T20I format, they ain’t playing in the series due to BGT commitments, but it seems difficult for Abhishek Sharma to leave his mark in the Indian team for a long run.
Sharma’s form has been inconsistent even in recent tournaments. At the Emerging Asia Cup, his scores were 7, 34, 58, and 35 in four matches, leaving little impact. His disappointing outings continued in the T20I series against Bangladesh last month, where he could only manage scores of 4, 15, and 16 in three matches.
India’s poor history in Gqeberha
St George’s Park in Gqeberha hasn’t been kind to India. Out of the nine games they’ve played here across formats, they’ve only managed one win, an ODI victory back in 2018 against South Africa. When it comes to T20Is, India and South Africa have faced off at this venue just once, with South Africa winning by 5 wickets in 2023. It’ll be interesting to see if India can finally break the line and register their first T20I win here.
Players to watchout
India: It would be interesting to see how Sanju Samson performs. he is definitely expected to secure the opening slot. He has scored back centuries for the Indian team. Along with him, the spin duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi who scalped 3-3 wickets in the first match will be an interesting sight.
South Africa: Heinrich Klaasen didn’t live up to expectations in the first T20I, getting out cheaply for just 22 runs to Varun Chakravarthy. The Sunrisers Hyderabad player, who was retained by the franchise for Rs 23 crore, will need to perform well if South Africa wants to challenge this strong Indian side. Also, Gerald Cotzee who had a good show with the bat and ball in the first match, will be in the spotlight.
IND vs SA Predicted XI
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Nqaba Peter, Ottneil Baartman.
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