In the recent match against South Africa , Team India stood out in the first T20I on Wednesday in Thiruvananthapuram. First, Arshdeep Singh (3/32) and Deepak Chahar (2/24) rattled the opposition to reduce them to 9/5 in 2.3 overs. South Africa, however, recovered to post 106/8. India lost skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck and star batter Virat Kohli 3 before the hosts achieved their target with 20 balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead. KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav put on an unbeaten 93-run partnership to complete the chase as India move into their final two matches in the format ahead of the T20 World Cup starting next month in Australia.
It was South Africa’s worst ever start to a T 20 international when Tristan fell to Chahar in the third over. Aiden Markram (25) and Wayne Parnell (24) put together 33 runs for the sixth wicket to slow India’s momentum. Parnell fell in the 16th over but Maharaj stood firm before his knock ended in the final over as Harshal Patel picked up his second wicket.