New Chandigarh: “It’s okay, completely fine... we should’ve gone to a second plan if the first didn’t work.” Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s words summed up a frustrating night for the hosts as South Africa bounced back in style, defeating India by 51 runs in the second T20I at Mullanpur on Thursday.
It was South Africa’s night from the moment Quinton de Kock found his rhythm. The left-hander, known for his blistering starts, was at his brutal best with a 46-ball 90 that included seven towering sixes. His calculated assault, mixed with perfect timing, set the tone for a massive total. Supported by late cameos from Donovan Ferreira (30 off 16) and David Miller (20 off 12), the Proteas piled up a formidable 213 for 4 in their 20 overs.
For India, it was a night when little went according to plan. Pacer Arshdeep Singh, usually reliable in the powerplay, had a rough outing — one he’d want to forget quickly. He struggled with his line, at one point conceding seven wides in a single over. Despite picking up a couple of wickets later, the damage had already been done as the South Africans capitalised on every loose delivery.
De Kock, who was named Player of the Match, admitted that he was enjoying the freedom of form and the familiarity with Indian bowlers. “It’s just happening — low and high scores. When I do get going, I try to make it count,” he said post-match. The wicket, according to him, was slow upfront and demanded patience. “When India batted, it went the other way — two-paced with more pace. That was the difference,” he explained.
Indian fans had little to cheer about in the chase, especially after the early collapse. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply, while Suryakumar himself perished inside the powerplay. From there, India were always playing catch-up. Tilak Varma offered resistance with a fighting 62 off just 34 balls — peppered with crisp boundaries and fearless strokeplay — but lacked support at the other end. India eventually folded for 162, leaving them 51 runs short of the target.
Reflecting on the loss, Suryakumar acknowledged that South Africa adapted better. “They realised the lengths to bowl from the first innings. There was a little bit of dew, but that’s no excuse. We could’ve switched to another plan,” he said. He also took responsibility for his own innings, adding, “With the bat, myself and Shubman could’ve given a good start. Abhishek can’t always do it. I should’ve batted deeper.”
The skipper, however, defended the team’s decision to promote Axar Patel to No.3, pointing out his recent good form. “We’ve seen him bat. He did play well. We’ll see what happens in the next games,” Suryakumar said.
On the other side, South African captain Aiden Markram praised his team’s all-round performance. “Much better tonight. It started with a special knock from QDK and some important contributions. The bowlers are trending in the right direction, and the fielding was good too,” he said.
Markram also spoke about the importance of balancing team preparations ahead of the T20 World Cup. “By the time the SA20 is done, we need to give all players some game time. You put your hand up and do whatever is needed. You’re never bigger than the team,” he added.
With the win, South Africa levelled the five-match T20I series 1-1 and took the momentum heading into the third game. For India, it was another reminder that adaptability — not just aggression — wins games in modern T20 cricket.
