Quinton de Kock’s blistering 46-ball 90 and Ottniel Baartman’s incisive 4-24 powered South Africa to a 51-run win over India in the second T20I at the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh on Thursday, levelling the five-match series 1–1.
De Kock set the tone with clean hitting square of the wicket, striking five fours and seven sixes, and putting on a 93-run stand with skipper Aiden Markram as South Africa piled up 213/4. India briefly fought back with three wickets, but David Miller (20*) and Donovan Ferreira (30*) finished strongly, adding 53 off 25 balls.
Much better tonight. Started with a special knock from QDK… Bowlers are trending in the right direction and fielding is good too.
India Undone Early
India’s chase never lifted after losing Shubman Gill (0), Abhishek Sharma (17) and Suryakumar Yadav (5) inside the PowerPlay. Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi shared the early strikes. Axar Patel, surprisingly promoted to No.3, made 21 before becoming Baartman’s first wicket, sparking a slide India couldn’t arrest.
Tilak Varma stood tall on a difficult night, smashing 62 off 34 balls with five sixes and two fours, but lacked partners as wickets kept tumbling. He was the last man to fall as India folded for 162 in 19.1 overs.
Baartman ripped through the lower order, removing Shivam Dube (1) and Arshdeep Singh (4), while Lutho Sipamla dismissed Jitesh Sharma (27) to seal South Africa’s emphatic win.
SA realised the lengths to bowl. We should’ve gone to a second plan… With the bat, myself and Shubman could’ve given a better start. I should’ve batted deeper; we learn and do better..
De Kock Explains Masterclass
De Kock, named Player of the Match, said he was determined to maximise a good start.
When I do get going, I try to make it count… The wicket was slow up front, any new batter would find it harder. When India batted, it went the other way, two-paced with more pace. That was the difference.
Earlier, De Kock punished Arshdeep Singh’s erratic lengths, Hendricks fell to Chakravarthy again, and Markram burst to life with back-to-back sixes before holing out. Axar removed Dewald Brevis, but Miller and Ferreira ensured a powerful finish as India’s bowlers leaked 15 extras, including seven wides from Arshdeep.
Brief Scores: South Africa 213/4 in 20 overs (Quinton de Kock 90, Donovan Ferreira 30*; Varun Chakaravarthy 2-29) India 162 all out in 19.1 overs (Tilak Varma 62, Jitesh Sharma 27; Ottniel Baartman 4-24, Marco Jansen 2-25). South Africa won by 51 runs.
