STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsAt the start of the series, India were chasing a record of 13 consecutive wins. It seemed like they would achieve it after posting 211 runs batting first. However, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen forged a mammoth partnership to deny the record win:
South Africa’s biggest chase
Chasing a mammoth target of 212, South Africa had a stop-start phase till the 11th over. In the first three overs they scored 26 runs and in the next two overs, they scored 34 runs. However, in the next six overs they scored only 32 runs.
But, what came next was just brutal power hitting from Miller first and then Dussen. The pair put on an unbeaten 131-run partnership for the fourth wicket to guide South Africa to win by seven wickets. In T20Is, this was their highest target chased. Previously, against West Indies in their first match of the 2007 World T20, they had chased 206.
In India’s perspective, this was only the second instance in T20Is where a target of 200+ was chased against them. On both occasions, it was South Africa. To emboss more, in T20Is, this is the first time India have lost a game after scoring 200+ in the first innings. In the game, South Africa chased 200, they had scored 199.
India’s dream run of wins comes to an end
Well, as they say “all good things must come to an end”, India’s run of 12 consecutive wins has been broken. India had the chance of making it 13 wins on the trot till the 10th over. But, Miller and Dussen shattered the dream. Nevertheless, the 12 successive wins are the joint most for a team in T20Is. Afghanistan from February 2018 till September 2019, had 12 wins and Romania from October 2020 till September 2021 also had 12 wins on the bounce.
Blown away in the last 10 overs
South Africa were at 86/4 at the end of the 10th over, needing 126 runs to win in the last 10 overs. India was totally in control. But, Miller who had a sensational IPL 2022, started to break loose and Dussen who was struggling in his first 30 balls, joined the party later.
In the last 10 overs, South Africa clubbed 126 runs. Out of the 14 sixes hit by them, nine of them came in the last 10 overs. In T20Is, the 126 runs scored by them in the last 10 overs, is the second most a team has hit in a winnings chase. Australia in the 2010 T20 WC semi-final against Pakistan, had scored 130 runs, which is the most.
India post a big total with plenty of sixes
Sent into bat first, on the back of an explosive batting performance, India posted a mammoth total of 211/4. Ishan Kishan was the star with a 48-ball 76. With an unbeaten 12-ball 32, Hardik Pandya was at his usual best as a finisher.
In T20Is, the total posted by India is the highest for them against South Africa and the highest total in Delhi. Overall, this was the fourth highest total against South Africa by a team in the shortest format.
In the Indian innings, 14 sixes were witnessed, which is the second most sixes hit by a team against South Africa in an innings in T20Is. England in 2020 and West Indies 2021, had hit 15 sixes, which is the most. In addition, only twice have Indian batters hit more sixes in an innings than today. Against Sri Lanka in 2017, they had 21 sixes and against West Indies in 2019, they had hit 16.
First home game without Kohli and Rohit
The big guns of India have been rested for this series. However, since Virat Kohli’s debut in T20Is in 2010, either Rohit Sharma or Kohli have been a part of the playing XI in T20Is on home turf. But, this match was the first instance of both missing out. Overall, In the 2021 tour to Sri Lanka, the Indian main contingent was in England. Apart from that, in the Zimbabwe tour in 2015 and 2016, both of them weren’t a part of the XI.
Captaining at a young age
By virtue of a left groin injury to KL Rahul, the captaincy badge was passed on to Rishabh Pant, the designated vice-captain for the series.
With a win percentage of 56.6 percent in 30 IPL matches, Pant is not a newbie to captaincy. However, he was captaining India for the first ever time in internationals. By becoming the captain at the age of 24 years and 248 days, Pant was the second youngest T20I captain for India. Suresh Raina at the age of 23 years and 197 days was the youngest.
The Protean curse
India ended the year 2021 in a grand manner when they defeated South Africa in Centurion. However, their start to 2022 wasn’t great.
They lost the two remaining Tests and three ODIs in the South African tour. But, they bounced back well with 11 wins. They white-washed West Indies in both ODI and T20I and then repeated the same against Sri Lanka in T20Is and Tests. In the first T20I, they lost to South Africa again. Since the start of 2022, across formats, India have lost all their six matches against the Proteas.
