South Africa v India 2018: 1st T20I, Johannesburg: Five Game-Changing Moments

South Africa, post the 5-1 drubbing at the hands of the Indians, were looking to make a statement in front of the ruthless visitors with the change in format. Unfortunately, JP Duminy and co. had to suffer yet another crushing defeat at home with India winning the match by a whopping 28 runs.

Virat Kohli’s side, after losing the toss, was put into bat first and posted a mammoth 203. Shikhar Dhawan notched up a brilliant 72 after the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina chipped in with their cameos.

Chasing 204, South Africa lost early wickets before a couple of batsmen steadied the ship for the hosts. However, it turned out to be an uphill task for the South Africans in front of the quality death bowlers present in the Indian team. Let us look at some of the game-changing moments from the game.

1. Thunderous Start from India

With glorious South African track record, while chasing at the Wanderers, the Indian top order was on a mission to get a total above 220. Rohit Sharma started the proceedings by smashing a 9-ball 21 at a strike rate of 233.

The Hitman smashed two boundaries and two sixes in his knock. Suresh Raina, on his comeback trail, showed exactly why the Indians were missing his services. Raina hit two boundaries and six in his 15 run cameo.

Virat Kohli continued with the impetus provided by the top order with his 26 off 20 balls which consisted of two boundaries and six. By the end of the 10th over, India already piled on over 110. A total above 220 looked well in sight with the thunderous start from India.

2. Shamsi’s spell

Tabraiz Shamsi came in during the grand Indian onslaught up front. After facing the wrath of Dhawan’s and Kohli’s blade at the beginning, Shamsi came back and took the prized wicket of Kohli which put the Indians on the backfoot.

Following the wicket, he put the brakes on the proceedings at the back end of the innings just when boundaries were a priority for the Indians.

Shamsi conceded only 37 runs in his four overs and also provided some cushion for part-timer JJ Smuts at the other end. Smuts went for only 14 in his two. Shamsi’s spell more or less applied brakes on the Indian proceedings.

3. Manish Pandey’s struggle

India provided a blistering start up front for the lower middle order to take advantage of. The onus was then on the likes of Pandey, MS Dhoni, and Hardik Pandya to maximise the start, eying a 220+ total.

However, Manish Pandey sluggishly managed only 29 runs off 27 balls at a strike rate of 107. Just when boundaries were at the premium, Pandey could only deliver only one hit over the boundary.

His slow knock made a difference of about 20 runs to the total.

4. Hendricks-Behardien partnership

Looking at the required target, South Africans came out all guns blazing. But in the process lost three wickets within the first seven overs. The wickets of JJ Smuts, David Miller, and JP Duminy came while trying to hit a few boundaries up front.

The home side was reduced to 48-3 before Reeza Hendricks and Farhaan Behardien kept their hopes alive with their 81 runs stand in just 9 overs. Hendricks compiled a brilliant 70 off just 50 balls, while Behardien supported him at the other end with his 39 off 27 balls.

South Africa had to chase down 76 in the final 5 overs, thanks to the priceless stand from the two right-handers in the middle overs.

5. Bhuvneshwar Kumar spell – the 18th Over

South Africa had an outside chance to chase down Indian total, with 60 required off the final three. This was when Bhuvneshwar Kumar was handed the ball. Bhuvi already picked up the wickets of JJ Smuts and JP Duminy with the new ball and conceded only 19 his three overs.

In the 18th over, Bhuvi first picked up the wicket of dangerous looking Hendricks with a peach of a slower-ball.

By the end of the over, South Africa lost three more wickets, two off slower balls from Bhuvi on successive deliveries and one off a brilliant run out from Pandya to complete India’s team hattrick.

South Africa lost four wickets in the 18th over and scored only five runs in the game-changing over. Bhuvi ended up conceding only 24 and clinched a five-wicket haul to pick up the man of the match award.