1st T20I: India defeat South Africa by 8 wickets

India on Wednesday night beat South Africa by eight wickets in the first T-20 International at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. Chasing the target of 107 runs, India made 110 runs for the loss of two wickets in 16.4 overs. For hosts, KL Rahul made unbeaten 51 runs while Suryakumar Yadav made unbeaten 50 runs.Earlier host won the toss and elected to field. Batting first, South Africa made 106 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the stipulated 20 overs. For India Arshdeep bags three wickets, Harshal Patel and Deepak Chahar claimed two each, and Axar Patel one.Suryakumar enthralled the crowd with his trademark shot when he lofted inside-out with the turn over wide long-off off Maharaj.

The hosts’ were dealt an early blow when a peach from Kagiso Rabada in the second over lured Rohit Sharma into playing at it and thick edge went behind to Quinton de Kock, who dived to his right to send the Indian skipper back for a two-ball duck.Post power-play, where India made only 17/1, their lowest score in the six overs phase, Virat Kohli tried to cut a short and wide ball from Anrich Nortje, only for the extra bounce to take the edge behind to de Kock. After hopping and fending on his first ball, Suryakumar slammed back-to-back sixes – a top-edge on pull went over third man and a nonchalant flick went over backward square leg.Rahul, who was kept quiet by a slew of outswingers and inswingers apart from surviving close lbw shouts off Parnell and Rabada, opened up by flicking off his wrists over long-on for six off Nortje, followed by Suryakumar slapping through point for four off Keshav Maharaj.

Brief Scores: South Africa 106/8 in 20 overs (Keshav Maharaj 41, Aiden Markram 25; Arshdeep Singh 3/32, Deepak Chahar 2/24) lost to India 110/2 in 16.4 overs (KL Rahul 51 not out, Suryakumar Yadav 50 not out; Kagiso Rabada 1/16, Anrich Nortje 1/32) by eight wickets