Picture Credit: Twitter
There was a comedy of errors in the 1st T20I between India and South Africa that left everyone holding their stomachs. South Africa missed an easy chance to run Rishabh Pant out even though the batter was halfway down the pitch and fell yards short of the white line. The commentators also could not believe how South Africa missed that chance.
In the 14th over of the India innings, Kagiso Rabada bowled a hard length ball into the pitch which was nudged towards the midwicket by Shreyas Iyer. Pant, who was standing at the non-striker’s end, sensed a run and left his crease. Meanwhile, Rabada went charging towards the ball and in the process, blocked Pant’s way.
The batter then decided to turn away but it seemed it was too late for him to get back to the crease. One of the South African fielders (debutant Tristan Stubbs) easily got the hold of the ball and had to just throw the ball to Keshav Maharaj who had come up to the stumps at the non-striker’s end. But, Stubbs threw the ball way above Maharaj’s reach resulting a reprieve for Pant.
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India get to 211!
On the back of some fine batting from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, and Hardik Pandya, India posted 211/4 in their 20 overs. While Kishan (76 off 48) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (23 off 15) provided a brisk start and carried the momentum in the middle overs, Shreyas Iyer (36 off 27) played the anchor. In the end, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya provided the late flourish with a quick partnership of 46 runs in 18 balls. While Pant scored 29 off 15 balls, Pandya remained unbeaten on 32 off just 11 balls.
For South Africa, Wayne Parnell was the best bowler with his bowling figures of 4-0-32-1. Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, and Dwaine Pretorious also chipped in with a wicket each.