Hardik, bowlers crush South Africa to set up big win for India
South Africa were bowled out for 74, their lowest T20I score
India 175 for 6 (Hardik 59*, Ngidi 3-31) beat South Africa 74 all out (Brevis 22, Bumrah 2-17, Chakravarthy 2-19, Axar 2-7) by 101 runs
India are massive favourites in their title defence at a home T20 World Cup, but the only doubt is a T20 lottery where you lose the toss and have to bat on a damp pitch on a dewy night. That scenario presented itself on the first night of their 10-match final preparation before the World Cup, and they responded emphatically.
Hardik Pandya rose above the conditions to score 59 off 28 to take India to 175 in an innings that almost everyone else struggled, and their bowlers used whatever help they could muster from the pitch to keep taking wickets to bowl South Africa for their lowest T20I score. A 102-run win after losing the toss should put contenders on notice.
India's early struggles
From ball one, it was apparent India were in on a sticky pitch, which would get better as the night went on. Shubman Gill, returning after neck injury, and captain Suryakumar Yadav both ended up lobbing shots to mid-off and mid-on off Lungi Ngidi.Lungi Ngidi struck in each of his two overs in the powerplay•Associated Press
India played three left-hand batters in the middle to possibly delay the use of Keshav Maharaj, but none of Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel could get going. Tilak and Axar scored 49 between them off 53 balls as the tall South Africa fast bowlers kept drawing steep bounce from the pitch. Abhishek, starved of strike in the early goings, fell to another special catch by Marco Jansen on this tour to have his innings cut short at 17 off 12.
Pandya carries India
When Hardik came in at 78 for 4 in the 12th over, there was a good chance India might end up with a below-par score on a pitch that would get quicker and friendlier with the dew.
Aiden Markram thought he could now bowl Maharaj with Hardik going only at about a run a ball against left-arm spin in his whole T20 career. On this night, though, he took Maharaj down for two disdainful no-look sixes to start India's revival. The returning Anrich Nortje had been too handle for others but he hit two fours off him: one using his pace and one an off-drive after charging at him. He helped India take 30 off the last two overs as everyone bar Jansen had his figures rearranged. The ramp off Nortje to bring up his fifty made him only the fourth India player to hit 100 T20I sixes.Arshdeep Singh took a wicket in the first over•Getty Images
Arshdeep sets the tone
India needed to make the most of the brief period of movement if they were to compete on a pitch expected to get better. It did indeed look better in the way Tristan Stubbs timed the ball, but Arshdeep got India off to just the start they needed. First he brought Stubbs in with Quinton de Kock's wicket for a duck off an awayswinger that also seamed away. In his second over, Arshdeep began to bowl wobble-seam, which brought him Stubbs' wicket for 14 off 9, giving Jitesh Sharma the first of his three smart catches.
Spinners drive home advantage before Bumrah glory
Hitting still looked easier than it had in the first innings, but India never went more than 16 balls without a wicket. The 16-ball stand was the most threatening, Dewald Brevis having got the better of Varun Chakravarthy in the fifth over, but Markram went back to an Axar length ball and was bowled leg stump.
As if his batting was not enough, Hardik took the wicket of David Miller first ball: an inside edge onto the pad taken diving forward by Jitesh. Varun then took out Donovon Ferreira and Marco Jansen, one with a quick delivery, the other with a slower one.
The procession continued to take Jasprit Bumrah to 100 wickets and beyond, only the fifth in the world to have done that in all three formats. Shivam Dube, arguably playing ahead of Rinku Singh because of his bowling ability, gave the team management one final props with the last wicket of the night.