Videos Live Scores Podcasts Opinion Interviews Business of Sport Inside Story Football Cricket Tennis Formula One Golf NBA UFC UAE Racquet Sports Fitness

Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar shine in India’s win over South Africa in first T20I

Ashish Peter

21:06 18/02/2018

India started the T20 series against South Africa in fine style, winning the opener at Wanderers relatively comfortably.

Virat Kohli’s men put up 203 runs on the board after batting first before restricting the Proteas to 175-9 in their 20 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Here we look at the good and the bad from India’s 28-run win.

THE GOOD

DHAWAN CASHES IN

Carrying on from his efforts in the ODIs, Shikhar Dhawan seemed in cruise control from ball one. On a pitch perfect for shot-making, the left-hander attacked pacers and spinners in equal measure.

He raced away to a 27-ball fifty, his fourth in T20I cricket, as he helped India post their highest-ever power-play score of 78-2. Dhawan found gaps at will as he combined aggression with placement before ultimately falling for a 39-ball 72.

BHUVNESHWAR AT HIS BEST

Bhuvneshwar Kumar enjoyed some well deserved rest in the final ODI and came back fresh for the T20 opener. Where South Africa’s pacers failed, he succeeded by making use of his variations; he removed Jon-Jon Smuts and JP Duminy with a knuckle ball and leg-cutter respectively.

He then returned at the death to pick up three wickets in his final over to finish with best-ever T20 figures of 5-24 off his four overs to seal the game for India.

THE BAD

DANE PATERSON’S HORROR START

The 28-year-old opened the bowling for the Proteas and was taken to the cleaners by India’s openers. Rohit Sharma went after him in the first over smashing two sixes before Dhawan inflicted similar punishment in his next over.

Paterson went for 31 runs off his first two overs and although he bowled two tight overs at the end, he finished with figures of 0-48.

Paterson did not have the best of starts with the ball.

DUMINY FAILS TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT

After losing stalwart AB de Villiers for the entire series to a knee-injury, the onus was on South Africa’s captain and senior-most batsman to lead from the front.

JP Duminy however, succumbed to the scoreboard pressure. He threw his wicket away to a slower delivery from Bhuvneshwar to perish for just three runs off seven balls.

More from international-cricket

French-Algerian Anissa Meksen gets chance to be first to claim new ONE Championship gold

Adrian Lee’s ONE Championship debut confirmed as he looks to further family legacy

NBA 3X ABU DHABI an unparalleled success with legends LaMarcus Aldridge and James Worthy in attendance

ONE Friday Fights 59: French-Algerian looks to maintain KO momentum in headliner

New ONE Championship king Alexis Nicolas ready to fight ‘the world’

French-Algerian Alexis Nicolas reflects on becoming ONE Championship world champ

Most Popular