India chase down 107 against South Africa with ease, take 1-0 lead

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By  India Blooms News Service   Sep 29, 2022

KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav maintained calm and composure to guide India to an easy eight-wicket victory over South Africa in the inaugural T20I match of the bilateral series in Thiruvananthapuram Wednesday.

Despite losing skipper Rohit Sharma (zero) and star batter Virat Kohli (three off nine balls) early, both Rahul (51 off 56 balls) and Suryakumar (50 off 33 balls) slammed their respective fifties to take India to 110/2 in 16.4 overs, ensuring a 1-0 lead over the visitors.

The Indian bowlers restricted South Africa to 106/8 in 20 overs in the first T20I match Wednesday.

Opting to bowl first after skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss this evening, India quickly reduced South Africa to 9/5 cleaning the top and middle order in just three overs of the match.

Unable to recover from the early shock, South Africa just managed to cross the 100-mark, thanks to Aide Markrams 25 off 24 balls, Wayne Parnells 24 off 37 balls and Keshav Maharajs 41 off 35 balls.

Indias Arshdeep Singh, whose catch drop in the Asia Cup drew much online criticism, picked three wickets for 32 in four overs.

Deepak Chahar and Harshal Patel shared two wickets each leaving one for Axar Patel.