An unbroken 47 from Tristan Stubbs and a 42-run partnership with Gerald Coetzee helped South Africa beat India in their Twenty20 international at St George’s Park by three wickets on Sunday.
After India spinner Varun Chakravarthy took a career-best 5-17 to dismiss their top order, South Africa reached 128-7 in 19 overs to tie the four-match series at 1-1. When India appeared to win, Stubbs and Coetzee raced down a 40-run target in three overs of swashbuckling hitting to save the match. The tourists lost wickets cheaply against South Africa’s seam attack before Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 39 gave them a score to defend.
Sanju Samson, who produced a brilliant century as India beat South Africa by 61 runs in Durban on Friday, was bowled by Marco Jansen three balls into Sunday’s match. Abhishek Sharma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav both left early.
South Africa would have been confident of chasing India’s total when they batted in reply, but Tilak Varma (20) and Axar Patel (27) contributed. Varun’s googly bamboozled the home batters and won India the win.
He trapped Aiden Markram (3), Reeza Hendricks (24) and Marco Jansen (7) before Rinku Singh grabbed Heinrich Klaasen, who cut a full delivery, at long-off. Varun deceived David Miller, bowled first delivery, to lower South Africa to 66-6 with his following ball.
