In a rather spectacular turn of the tables, South Africa brilliantly rebounded from their previous defeat in Johannesburg, securing a resounding 8-wicket victory over India in the IND vs SA 2nd ODI to even the series, propelled by Tony de Zorzi with an outstanding 119. Despite India’s total of 211 runs, Zorzi’s stellar performance showcased his resilience, proving his skeptics wrong in Gqeberha.
“I’m fine. Just a bit stiff. Was a flood of emotions to be honest, I first thought of my mom, she would have been back from work, there are a lot of doubters and happy to prove them wrong.” said Tony de Zorzi who was awarded the Player of the match for his brilliant knock.
Tony de Zorzi scores brilliant 119* off 122 deliveries:
In pursuit of a modest target of 212, Tony de Zorzi provided South Africa with an ideal commencement in the second ODI on Tuesday. Even after his partner, Reeza Hendricks, departed, Zorzi persisted in his batting marathon, leaving the Indian bowlers powerless against his brilliance.
The 26-year-old, in only his fourth ODI appearance, showcased a spectacular counter-attacking display, smashing nine fours and six maximums in his unbeaten 119 off 122 balls. This outstanding performance allowed South Africa to successfully complete the run chase with 7.3 overs to spare.
Tony discussed his role at the top of the order, mentioning talks with Rob Walters and JP about their expectations. Wanting to do well at the Wanderers, he highlighted how important his ability to adapt to different condition has helped him in doing so.
“Rob [Walters] and JP spoke to me about what they kind of expected from me at the top of the order. At the Wanderers would have been nice to extend it. I would say [I am ]adaptable and decent at adapting to conditions. [has it sunk in yet?] Probably not – was quite cool to go to the band and everyone is clapping there, I will never forget a moment like this.”
South Africa level scores in IND vs SA 2nd ODI:
Speaking about the match, South Africa won the toss and opted to have a bowl first in the IND vs SA 2nd ODI. The opening woes continued for Ruturaj Gaikwad, who managed a mere four runs, while Tilak Verma (10 runs) also made a swift exit.
The Indian innings found stability through skipper KL Rahul and Sai Sudarshan, both achieving commendable fifties. While Rinku Singh (17 runs), Sanju Samson (12 runs), and Axar Patel (7 runs) made decent starts, none managed to post a substantial score.
South Africa’s Nandre Burger stood out among the bowlers, taking three wickets. Beuran Hendricks and Keshav Maharaj claimed two wickets each, while skipper Aiden Markram secured one wicket.