Team India stunned South Africa in the first T20I at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday (September 28), picking up the first five wickets for next to nothing to set up a comprehensive eight-wicket win and go 1-0 up in the three-match series. Deepak Chahar started the rout, picking up SA skipper Temba Bavuma in the opening over, and Arshdeep Singh continued it with a remarkable three wickets in the second over of the match.
Four of South Africa’s top six batters were out for a duck – three of them dismissed off the first ball – as Chahar and Arshdeep put on a swing bowling show to remember. Chahar set up Bavuma (0) beautifully in the first over. He bowled three out swingers and then got one to jag back into the right-hander to rattle his stumps.
Arshdeep, who is making a comeback after the Asia Cup 2022, started off with a three-wicket over. The left-arm pacer dismissed Quinton de Kock when he played one onto his stumps. The next two deliveries from Arshdeep were unplayable as he got one to move away from a fuller length to Rilee Rossouw and get the outside edge and then followed it up with an in-dipper to remove David Miller for a golden duck.
In the third over, Deepak Chahar got rid of the dangerous Tristian Stubbs for another first-ball duck when the right-hander got a top edge to third man. Skipper Rohit Sharma was over the moon with the sensational as BCCI shared a video titled, ‘5 wickets in 11 seconds’.
WATCH Team India pacers pick up 5 wickets in 11 second here…
5 wickets summed up in 11 seconds. Watch it here
Don’t miss the LIVE coverage of the #INDvSA match on @StarSportsIndia pic.twitter.com/jYeogZoqfD
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 28, 2022
In his first T20I match at home, Arshdeep Singh picked up three wickets in his very first over of the T20I series opener against South Africa at the Greenfield International Stadium, displaying magnificent swing bowling to break the back of the visitors’ batting. “I had thought about what to say if I get the man of the match award and got a little excited (on being eager to come and talk). In the first over DC bhai (Deepak Chahar) set the tone and we knew there was plenty of help from the surface. The plan was to keep it simple and bowl in the right areas,” said Arshdeep in the post-match presentation ceremony.
Arshdeep had missed the series against Australia to work on conditioning at NCA and admitted to being refreshed in outwitting the South Africa batters. Asked about the wickets he enjoyed from his spell of 3/32, he said, “I enjoyed (David) Miller’s wicket as I thought he was expecting an outswinger but I bowled an inswinger instead (to get him out for duck).
“The thought was to get his (Keshav Maharaj) wicket but he played well (hit three boundaries in his final over) and the plan could have been different. Hopefully I give such performances moving forward as well,” the Punjab Kings pacer added.
(with IANS inputs)
