IND vs SA: Two Things India Do Very Well Is - Cricket And Hospitality - Wayne Parnell

South Africa pace bowler Wayne Parnell was in awe of the hospitality of the people in Cuttack ahead of the second T20I match between India and South Africa here.

The visitors head into the game with a 1-0 advantage in the five-match series. Rassie van der Dussen (75*) and David Miller (64*) stitched an unbeaten 131-run stand to cruise their side to a seven-wicket victory in the first T20I.

We feel very welcome here: Wayne Parnell on India’s hospitality

Parnell picked the wicket of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad on his return to T20 Internationals after a gap of five years. The 32-year-old, who has claimed 42 wickets for South Africa in the shortest format, praised the Indian crowd and its warm welcome.

“We feel very welcome here. My first time here. The place we are staying in is very nice. Two things India do very well is – cricket and hospitality. It’s been really awesome here,” Parnell said during a press conference on Saturday. 

There will be a little bit of swing with the new ball: Wayne Parnell

The last time the two teams played a T20I game in Cuttack was in 2015. South Africa emerged victorious and swept the T20I series 2-0 after the six-wicket win at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.

David Miller and Kagiso Rabad are the only two players from the visiting side to play at this venue before while Axar Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, from the current squad, were part of that Indian side in the second T20I game of the 2015 series.

Parnell expects the ball to move during the early overs of the game but will wait for the pitch hours before the start of the play.

“The conditions here probably favour run-scoring more. It is just about what we are going to get on that particular day. It did swing around a little bit so maybe we can use that to our advantage as well. Difficult to assess,” Parnell said.

“The side strip was pretty green and with overhead conditions, it did swing around a bit. Maybe for the seamers, there will be a little bit with the new ball. But the actual wicket, we have to see how it is on the matchday,” he added.

South Africa will play India in the second T20I match on Sunday (June 12) at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.

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