Cuttack T20: South Africa Chase Down India’s 92 to Win T20 Series

Click here for all the latest from the 2nd T20 between India & South Africa. The Proteas lead the series 1-0

We’re live on the second T20 between India and South Africa that’s now underway in Cuttack.

The Proteas won the first game on Friday by 7 wickets, so this one is a must-win for Dhoni’s team in the three-match series.

Both the captains are out in the middle and Faf du Plessis calls it right once again. With the dew playing a big part in his decision, the visitors have decided to give the ball a go first.

One change each in both sides. Albie Morkel comes in for Marchant de Lange. Stalwart Harbhajan Singh replaces last match’s debutant S Aravind.

India’s Regular Steady Start

A clean over from Rabada and the Indians are tottering at their regular steady pace in the opening overs. Shikhar Dhawan gets off the mark in the second, with surprisingly enough, Imran Tahir running in.

India: 16/0 after 3 overs

Dhawan Out LBW

Returning from a wrist injury, Shikhar Dhawan’s is not allowed to make much of an impact in this match either after he scored just 3 in Dharamshala.

The ball meets his pad on the off stump side. LBW to Chris Morris for 11.

India: 28/1 after 4 overs

Virat Kohli Out First Ball

Rohit Sharma gets to stay in the company of his test skipper for just one delivery before Virat Kohli is caught in the middle of a confusion and outside his crease.

AB de Villiers has no trouble dislodging the bails as Kohli mutters his way back to the dressing room.

India: 32/2 after 5 overs

Rohit Sharma Run Out!

India now three wickets down, and dare I say, staring down the battle.

Rohit Sharma appears to get the call wrong once again. This time, it costs him his own wicket. India three down within just eight overs.

Raina is the new man in.

India: 44/3 after 8.

Rayudu’s Duck

Three deliveries after Sharma’s departure, Ambati Rayudu watches as his bails flail their way to the ground.

Kagiso Rabada’s full toss misses his bat and that’s the end of the 30-year-old. Only good news... Dhoni is coming out to bat now.

India: 48/4 after 9 overs.

Dhoni Caught Catching The Wind!

Albie Morkel gets Dhoni to swing his bat for this one. Ball catches an edge instead and dear ol AB de Villiers latches onto it going down to the ground.

Umpires want to check if the catch was clear. Dhoni starts walking, and the third umpire agrees with his call after watching the reviews.

The skipper is gone for 5.

India: 68/5 after 12 overs

Tahir On A Hat-Trick

Ok I’m going to club the next two wickets together.

Raina had just simmered down in the dressing room after delivering one into Amla’s lap before Harbhajan Singh starts walking back to the hut.

Raina out for 22. Along with Rohit Sharma, he’s now the highest scorer in the team with no one else getting to double figures.

India: 73/7 after 13 overs

Albie Morkel’s Comeback Party

First the good news: No Imran Tahir did not get the hat-trick. Instead, India managed to go two overs without losing a wicket.

But that was about it.

Albie Morkel ended that ‘mini-party’, taking out Axar Patel for 9 and then Bhuvneshwar Kumar as well in the same over.

India down to the last wicket. 85/9 after 16 overs.

India All Out for 92 Runs

Just to put this in perspective - Rohit Sharma scored 106 in the first T20. Today, the team has collectively managed to set a 93-run target for the visitors.

Ravichandran Ashwin is the last man to fall. Out for 11 to Chris Morris.

Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina top-scored for the team with 22 each. In the green, Albie Morkel was the pick of du Plessis’ bowlers with 3 scalps in his comeback match.

Amla Out to Ashwin

12th delivery of the South African innings and Dhoni’s decision to bring Ashwin in early meets an early pay-day.

Hashim Amla nicks one to the slips. Rohit Sharma isn’t let this one escape him. Out for 2.

South Africa: 13/1 in 2 overs

Ashwin Finishes With Three

At the end of eight overs, Ravi Ashwin has finished his spell already and has three wickets to show for it.

Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis tries to get a big one and finds Mohit Sharma instead. AB de Villiers’ is the opposite case - the record breaker swings and misses. Ball finds his stumps. Faf out for 16, AB for 19.

Ashwin: 3 wickets, 24 runs in his 4 overs.

Cuttack crowd throwing bottles on indian fielders on their worse performance. this is really bad pic.twitter.com/susAwpvsXs

— Shahzaib Bhutto (@DSBcricket) October 5, 2015

Play Stalled By Unhappy Fans

The fans have gone rogue in Cuttack! The Proteas were batting at 64/3 after 11 when water bottlers started getting hurled onto the playing field.

Somebody must’ve shown them India’s scorecard.

On a serious note - if play does not continue, The Proteas win the match under duckworth/lewis. They are 17 ahead of the par score after 11 overs.

South Africa Win By 6 Wickets

Over an hour long wait and the players come back to play out the match. Axar Patel gets Behardien for 11 but after that it’s a complete Proteas party.

Faf du Plessis’ team cruising to a 6 wicket victory and along with it, also sealing the series.

India: 92 all out in 17.2 overs (Rohit Sharma 22, Suresh Raina 22; Imran Tahir 2-24, Albie Morkel 3-12, Chris Morris 2 -16)

South Africa 96/4 in 17.1 overs (Jean-Paul Duminy 30 not out, David Miller 10 not out; Ravichandran Ashwin 3-24).