India may be strong favourites for the upcoming home World Cup, but South Africa discovered in Cuttack that even tricky conditions offer little relief against a team firing on all cylinders.
Mullanpur is all set to host its first-ever men’s international cricket match, and the stage is ideal. With the December chill in the air, the clash features the finalists from the most recent T20 World Cup, promising an exciting encounter.
On a damp evening, where the toss might have played a crucial role, India still managed to stay ahead, underlining why they are considered the side to beat.
The teams now move from the east to New Chandigarh, where they face off again on Thursday, leaving the visitors with no time for a practice session. Although India hold a 6-2 record against South Africa in recent T20 clashes, the format allows no margin for error. With nine home games remaining before the World Cup, India are focused on testing themselves in every possible situation.
How India won the series opener
India claimed victory in the opening match (1st T20), with Suryakumar Yadav and his teammates beating South Africa by 101 runs.
Leading the series 1-0 after Cuttack, India will aim to strengthen their hold, while South Africa will be looking to bounce back and level the contest. With Mullanpur’s batting-friendly pitch set to welcome both sides, fans can expect another potential high-scoring thriller.
Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc)*, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar.
South Africa squad: Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, Tony de Zorzi, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, George Linde, Corbin Bosch, Marco Jansen, Quinton de Kock (wk), Donovan Ferreira (wk), Tristan Stubbs, Ottneil Baartman, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje.
