The first match of the 5-match series was in the name of David Miller’s match-winning innings of 64 runs. Rarely would the host have thought, batting first, the result could be the opposite for them. 212 runs on the board still South Africa chases down the target with 5 balls to spare. The opposition has not only told how the chase happens, but has blown the host’s double diplomacy.
This raises the question of the exclusion of experienced players at the same time after a loss in the match. How right it is to give the captaincy to Pant, it will be almost proved after the series. The best bowlers fail together is definitely a worrying sign. Even after the target of 212, if it is possible to lose in your stronghold, then there is definitely a need to reconsider the tactics. Ishan Kishan’s innings laid the foundation for a big target, due to which India were able to score 211 runs in their 20 overs. However, India had taken hold of the game by taking 3 wickets early.
While after the match Rassie Van der Dussen said,
“When David came in,” van der Dussen revealed after the game, “I said to him, ‘You can play it as you see it but I’m pretty happy to take between 12 and 13 an over in the last ten.’ Because if you were on this wicket, you could really capitalize. So we didn’t panic at all. We knew even if the asking rate got up to 14-15, we could use that one short boundary with the right-left combination. We knew we could target the bowlers.”
“I think I had put myself and the team under a bit of pressure by not being able to get boundaries early on in my innings,” van der Dussen said. “But it wasn’t through lack of intent, or lack of planning, or lack of clarity of mind. You know, sometimes it just doesn’t come off.” Dussen said
“When Shreyas dropped it, I knew I had to make them pay because I took the balls to get myself in,” van der Dussen said.
But in the tsunami of Miller and Dussen, the host’s hopes remained elusive. In the second innings, Shreyas dropping that easy catch almost took the match towards the opposition. And finally Miller’s scintillating 31-ball 64 which included 4 fours and 5 sixes remained unbeaten with Dussen who smashed 75 off 46 balls to both demolish the hosts. The partnership between the two batsmen was more than 100 runs and they added only 97 runs in just 8 overs.
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