Dhawan, Bhuvi ensure Team India kick off Twenty20 series with 28-run win at the Wanderers
India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar (left) celebrates with teammates Suresh Raina (right) and Yuzvendra Chahal after dismissing SA's Chris Morris for a duck during the first T20I in Johannesburg yesterday. Pic/AFP
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India's domination in limited overs cricket rolled on unabated as they cantered to a 28-run victory over South Africa in the first T20 International, grabbing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series here yesterday. Shikhar Dhawan smashed his fourth Twenty20 half-century, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in T20I to emerge as the architects of the victory at the Wanderers.
Dhawan smashed a 39-ball 72 studded with 10 fours and two sixes to power India to a challenging 203 for 5 after South Africa won the toss and elected to field. Pacer Bhuvneshwar then returned with figures of 4-0-24-5 as South Africa folded for 175 for nine, despite opener Reeza Hendricks' 50-ball 70. Chasing 204, South Africa made a quick start with opener Jon-Jon Smuts (14) and Hendricks putting on 29 off 17 balls as Jaydev Unadkat (1-33) was expensive in his opening spell.
Smuts skied one off Bhuvneshwar and Dhawan took a well-judged catch at mid-on. Two overs later, Raina took a similarly well-judged catch running back from mid-wicket, this time sending back JP Duminy (3) off Bhuvneshwar as well as the hosts managed only 41/2 at the end of the Powerplays. Another skier, this time off David Miller's bat (9) was also taken by Dhawan as Hardik Pandya (1-45) reduced South Africa to 48 for three.
With a mountain to climb, Hendricks was joined in the task by Ferhaan Behardien who smacked 39 off 27 balls, inclusive of three fours and two sixes. He put on 81 runs for the fourth wicket with Hendricks and brought some measure of stability to the South African innings. Hendricks reached his maiden T20 half-century off 37 balls while Jasprit Bumrah (0-32) had a moment of brilliance at the boundary, pulling the ball back in with an acrobatic jump. But it was six still, as per new rules, as his last touch was on the rope. South Africa crossed 100 in the 12th over even as the asking rate touched 13 per over. Yuzvendra Chahal (1-39) took some stick, but finally managed to dismiss Behardien and got the breakthrough India were looking.
Aggression all the way
Heinrich Klaasen (16) threw his bat around as the Proteas crossed 150. But Bhuvneshwar returned to deal them a quick double blow, removing both Klaasen and Hendricks in the space of four balls. In between, skipper Virat Kohli left the field owing to a left hip problem but the management said the issue is not serious. Meanwhile, Chris Morris (0) was caught off the first ball giving Bhuvneshwar his five-wicket haul. He became the second Indian bowler after Chahal to pick up a fifer in T20Is. He also became only the third pacer after Pakistan's Umar Gul (5 for 6) and Bangladesh's Ahsam Malik (5 for 19) to achieve this feat against South Africa in T20 cricket. Earlier, Dhawan was lucky early in his innings. In the fourth over, the opener had tried to play a flick shot off Junior Dala and the ball grazed his gloves.
Crucial wide
South Africa made an half-hearted appeal, but it was called a wide by the umpire. On a batting beauty at the Wanderers, Rohit Sharma (21 off 9 balls) and Dhawan got off to a flying start as they put on 23 off only 11 balls. Rohit struck two sixes during his short stay as the ball was flying to all corners of the park.
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