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India v/s South Africa 1st Twenty20 Match Commentary: Duminy's class takes SA to 7-wicket win

Written By Pranav Joshi | Updated: Oct 02, 2015, 11:11 PM IST

JP Duminy, who made 68 off 34 to see SA home against India in the first Twenty20 international

South Africa have scored 200 in 19.4 overs to win the first Twenty20 international. It was a fairly clinical batting performance from them, and JP Duminy was the star.

South Africa have scored 200 in 19.4 overs to win the first Twenty20 international. It was a fairly clinical batting performance. After AB got the Proteas going in the first few overs, India came back with 3 wickets. But JP Duminy kept his cool to the end. His innings proves you don't need outrageous batting to win in Twenty20 cricket. 68 off 34.

Over 20

S Aravind to bowl the final over.

Yorked and Behardian takes a single to get Duminy on strike.

Another good delivery, but Duminy only hits it to long off and scampers for two. Even a direct hit is not enough to stop the second. 7 off 4.

SIX! Full toss on middle, right under Duminy's bat. Waist high, and Duminy swings it so far back into the stands that the camera cannot catch it.

There will be no fairytale for S Aravind.

Slower ball outside off, and Duminy flicks it to mid on for a single. Match over. SA win by 7 wickets with 2 balls left.

Over 19

Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back for his last over.

Low full toss, and Duminy biffs it down the ground. Wide long is too wide to stop the boundary, but he could have done better with the dive.

Duminy has made 51 off 28 balls.

SIX! Full toss this time, and Duminy lifts the ball over wide long on for six. Suddenly, Just 14 to win off 10 balls.

The next three balls fetch three singles.

A single off the last ball. 10 needed off the last over. SA 190/3.

Over 18

SIX! Duminy lifts Mohit Sharma over long off for six....barely. He never seemed to get hold of the full and fast ball....or as fast as Sharma can bowl. But six.

Slower delivery, Farhaan scoops it forcibly over extra cover but just for a single. 27 off 14.

Low full toss, but Duminy hits to mid on and runs a very quick two. The ball only went to the edge of the circle.

11 off the over. SA 176/3. 24 needed off 2 overs.

Over 17

Duminy is smashed on the pad from a full and fast Bhuvneshwar delivery. But the resulting LBW appeal is turned down. That looked plumb.

8 runs off the over so far, last ball coming up.

9 off the over, not enough. SA 165/3 after 17. 35 needed off 3.

Over 16

Ashwin went for just 8 in the previous over. 

Great fielding. Behardian pulls the ball to the on side boundary but it is superbly cut off on the fence by Rohit Sharma. They have to go to replays to check that.

Wide ball from Axar to Duminy. What a boring match for the bowlers.

SIX! Slog sweep, not good timing at all but these huge bats these days enable anything to go for six.

SIX! This was in the slot from Axar, sits up and Duminy just roughs it over midwicket for a six.

SIX! Triple 6. A worse ball than the previous one, and Duminy rocks back to slam it over long on for six. Horrible over. 22 runs. SA 156/3 after 16 overs.

Over 14

Mohit Sharma, who was beaten around in his first spell, comes back.

Straight ball outside off, Behardian for some reason tries to pull across the line on the back foot. Misses completely.

FOUR. This time the delivery was in the slot. Short ball, not much pace. Behardian goes deep in his crease to pull the ball to long leg for four.

Gives room and gets a single now. 79 needed off 38.

FOUR. 11 off the over. SA 126/3 after 14 overs.

Over 13

SIX! Duminy slog sweeps Axar Patel for six. The required rate is 12 per over. 90 needed off 45 balls.

Just 1 more off this over so far. 89 off 43.

FOUR. Good over is wasted by a four from Behardian off the last ball. Lifted over extra cover, which doesn't exist. SA 115/3 off 13 overs.

Over 11

OUT! Faf is gone. The ball is straight but suddenly skips and keeps low. Faf is bowled as he plays on. S Aravind has his first wicket in international cricket.

FOUR. Short and it is pulled nonchalantly to the deep midwicket boundary, as if nothing happened the ball before. Ferhaan Behardian it is.

SA 99/3 off 11 overs.

Over 10

FOUR. A slog sweep from AB de Villiers takes him to a half century off 31 balls.

OUT! Down the ground, and Ashwin has deceived de Villiers in flight, length and turn. AB totally misses the line of the ball as he advances, and is bowled. 51 off 32.

Slow coach JP Duminy is the new batsman.

Oh. And he is deceived by the straighter one first ball. Plays for the leg spin but the ball goes straight and then snorts. Dhoni flicks off the bails immediately but JP's foot is just in. SA 93/2 after 10 overs.

Over 9

FOUR. Just outside off and just good length, and AB has flayed it through cover point for four.

Oh. de Villiers misreads the turn and gets a leading edge to the off side. The ball falls just short of Kohli at short cover. SA 86/1 after 9 overs.

Over 8

Ashwin comes into the attack.

After being milked for three singles off the first 3 balls, Ashwin bowls a wide.

OUT! Hashim Amla is gone. Ab De Villiers tucked the ball square on leg and set off. He called for a second but Amla was slow. Bhuvneshwar Kumar threw at the right end and Amla was well short of his ground.

Faf du Plessis is the new batsman. SA 80/1 after 8 overs.

Over 7

Axar Patel is brought into the attack and then milked for a single.

Just 5 off the over, SA 72/0 after 7.

Over 6

Short from Aravind again and Hashim pulls, but finds a deep midwicket rushing in. 1 run.

FOUR. Harsha Bhogle said 'good over so far' and Amla smothered the next ball over the on side for four.

Single to end the over. SA 67/0 after 6.

Over 5

FOUR. Hashim Amla is not far behind. With his peculiar backlift, he creams a particularly okay ball through the covers for four.

Misfield now and SA come back for two. De Villiers is already back before the commentary team can notice it.

FOUR. From a sitting position on one knee, De Villiers pulls Kumar for four through square. SA 60/0 after 5 overs.

Over 4

Wide ball from Mohit Sharma.

Full and AB swings towards midwicket but for no run.

FOUR. Bouncer and de Villiers pulls with bat towards the ground. The ball takes the top edge. There is no fine leg so it flies for four.

FOUR. Full and AB creams it through covers for four. MAYHEM.

Single off the last ball, SA 46/0 after 4 overs.

Over 3

AB De Villiers has come out to open the innings. He is 11 off 4 balls. Let the fireworks begin.

Two dot balls for AB and the crowd boos.

FOUR. Full and pitched up, AB swings his bat from a static position and the ball flies for four down the ground.

Down the track, and the ball is short. AB still goes through with the shot, and miscues. It lands just in front of wide mid on.

FOUR. Short again from Kumar and pulled to the square leg fence by Amla. SA 34/0 after 3 overs. 

Over 2

Welcome back for the South African innings. The Proteas have scored 24 off the first two overs.

India have finished on 199/5 off 20 overs. Rohit Sharma made a terrific century though he should have been adjudged LBW very early on. South Africa pulled India bit a back after his dismissal. Nevertheless, 199 is a great score to defend.

Over 20

Wide and a full toss, but Dhoni can only get a single on the off side.

Yorked, and Axar Patel ends up with a single.

Good length ball on middle, Dhoni goes for a slog but ends up pulling into the ground for one.

Bouncer, and Axar Patel can't reach it. Not called wide.

Full ball to Axar, who can't get any elevation on it. Just a single to long on. Last ball coming up.

SIX! Trust Dhoni to finish it this way! Full on middle and this time Dhoni gets well under it, hits it straight as an arrow down the ground for six. India finish on 199/5 off their 20 overs.

Over 19

OUT! Raina is gone. He walks across the stumps to play the ball on the on side, but is hit flush on the front pad. India 184/4, Raina made 14.

OUT! Ambati Rayudu is run out. He was going for a quick couple, but the second was not on. Dhoni sent him back but it was too late. He was miles out.

FOUR. Dhoni pulls hard into the leg side for four.

7 off the over as Dhoni gets a single. India 189/5 with 1 over left.

Over 18

FOUR. Short from de Lange, doesn't come on but Dhoni swivel pulls it hard for four.

Near-yorker, dug out by Dhoni for one. 

SIX! Full on middle and pulled over deep midwicket for six. Typical Raina.

Raina gives himself room this time and tries to slog again. It's the slower ball from de Lange and Raina misses.

Another slower ball, Raina plays early, scoops it towards long on, but it falls just short of the man rushing in. India 182/3 after 18 overs.

Over 16

OUT! Kohli holes out in the deep, and fortunately for the Proteas, Duminy catches it this time. 43 off 26. India 160/2.

Wide yorker, Rohit had moved away from the leg stump, and then nearly lay flat on his face to reach the ball. He manages to scoop it over Amla for two.

OUT! Gone. Very good bouncer, Rohit goes for the hook, gets the top edge and the ball flies to fine leg, whether it is caught. Sharma out for 106 off 65. What an innings. India 162/3 after 16 overs. Great over from Kyle Abbott.

Over 15

140ks full toss for Rohit, he pulls it to deep square leg but its called a no ball for height. Full toss for height.

Kohli swings the resultant free hit over the off side, miscues and is dropped by Duminy. Gets a single.

FOUR. Brilliant hit over cover by Sharma for four, he moves to 97.

SIX! What a way to make a century! Slightly less full on off stump, Rohit clears his back foot and goes coolly over long off. The ball hits the sightscreen and Sharma brings up 103 in 62 balls. India 158/1 after 15 overs.

Over 14

FOUR. Full toss on middle and leg, Rohit flicks behind, and the ball goes for four as Duminy slips while attempting a fairly simple save.

FOUR. Good length on middle and Sharma pulls it very hard, coaxes the ball through square leg for four.

Down the track and Kohli gets a single to long off. India 140/1 after 14 overs.

Over 13

SIX! Devastating shot. Fuller than good length on off from Rabada and Rohit goes straight down the ground, perfect backlift and follow through.

Harbhajan Singh on interview says the dew on the ball is affecting the South African bowlers.

SIX! Short, sits up on off stump, and Rohit again pulls on the front foot and in front of square for six.

Two dot balls to end the over. India 129/1 after 13.

Over 12

SIX! Sharma carts that way back into the stands behind deep midwicket for six.

SIX! Full on middle, and this time Kohli half-slog sweeps, half powers it over long on for six.

SIX! Another six. This was brute power. Kohli cleared his backfoot, got the ball on the full and went just over long off.

Two singles to end the over. India 115/1.

Over 11

JP Duminy comes into the attack.

Milked to wide long on twice off the first two balls. India have settled into a rhythm.

Slog sweep from Rohit, shout of 'catch' from the bowler, but it lands in no man's land. Wide long on stretches to stop the boundary. 

Duminy goes round the wicket to Kohli and bowls a wide.

Kohli converts the last ball into a waist high full toss, but can get just one to long on. Two runs. India 94/1 after 11 overs.

Over 10

Short outside off and easy pace, Sharma plays a late cut over short third man for four. Nearly went all the way.

Sharma has completed a half century in 39 balls.

FOUR. What a shot. Full on middle, and Rohit moves away to the off side De Villiers style, then scoops the ball over the keeper for four.

Single off the last ball, India 86/1 after 10 overs.

Over 9

FOUR. Leg spinner, turns away after pitching, and full. Rohit took full toll, smashed it through vacant cover point for four.

Googly from Tahir, but again he gets the line wrong. On the pads and tickled away to short fine leg for one.

Tentatively chipped to long off for a single. India 75/1 after 9 overs.

Over 8

SIX! Virat Kohli takes Morris off a good length and goes down the ground. Just clears long on for a flat six!

FOUR. On the hips and Kohli now works it through square leg for four.

Short and rising, angles into off stump and Kohli plays it down off his chest for one.

Inside edge for one ends the over. 14 off it. India 65/1 after 8.

Over 7

Imran Tahir comes into the attack.

Oh. Inside edge to a slower full ball, and Rohit nearly played on casually.

Tucked away into the leg side and India run a very quick double. Brilliant running.

Another inside edge as Rohit fails to read the flipper. Inside edge to square leg for one.

Five off the over. India 51/1 after 7 overs.

Over 6

Big Morris comes into the attack. Bowls a very wide ball first up.

Full ball on middle and swatted across the line by Kohli for one.

FOUR. Rohit comes down the track and carts Morris across the line and over midwicket. The fielder was straighter than he should have been, else it would have been a catch at deep midwicket. But he misfields as well as its four. 

SIX! Short and sits up on the hips, Sharma swivel-pulls it for six to long leg! India 46/1 after 6 overs.

Over 4

OUT! Shikhar Dhawan is gone for 3. He drove into the covers and then Rohit called for a second run off the misfield. There was never a second run and Dhawan was always going to struggle at the striker's end. He very nearly made it - his bat was on the line when the bails came off. But he's gone. India 21/1.

Virat Kohli is the new batsman. He gets a run off his second ball.

Fast, head high short ball from Rabada. Goes over Rohit's head but the umpire gives it a no ball. Sharma took his eyes off the ball at the last moment.

Rapped on the pads again, and Rohit goes for a quick single.

Full toss, seemed like it slipped out of Rabada's hands. Kohli gets an inside edge that luckily goes to backward short leg for a single. India 25/1 after 4 overs.

Over 3

Marchant de Lange is the new bowler.

Short from Lange, but too close to Dhawan's body for a cut over the slip fielders. He misses, and thankfully so.

Now a single to the on side. 13/0.

FOUR. Short ball, the ball doesn't come on very well, but Rohit pulls the ball on the front foot, in front of square for four.

FOUR. Brilliant shot. Rohit darts away from the stumps as Lange delivers. He takes the ball on a good length on middle stump and drives through covers for four. India 21/0 after 3 overs.

Over 2

Rabada bowls a wide to Shikhar Dhawan first up.

Rabada bowls a slow yorker to Sharma and he digs it out.

Rohit lets another ball go. There is some spice in the wicket for the pace bowlers, hence the early respect. And hence SA's choice to bowl first.

FOUR. This time it was just a little shorter and Sharma opted to go after it. Perfect cover drive and screams to the cover fence.

Trick ball from Rabada, slows down after pitching and comes in. Rohit gets an inside edge to the on side for one. India 11/0 after 2.

Over 1

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are opening the batting for India.

First ball is slightly wide of off stump and Sharma lets it go.

The second ball seams away slightly after pitching and Rohit hangs his bat out for a moment.

Hit on the pads, and there is a big appeal from the bowler. Rohit played across the line and the ball hit him flush on the pads. Not given but that looked out. Meanwhile, there was a shy at the bowler's end and Dhawan had to dive to get back in!

FOUR. Short and wide and Rohit scoops it over gully, not fully in control but four to third man.

India 4/0 after 1 over.

19:02 IST Friday, 2 October 2015

Welcome to the LIVE coverage of the first Twenty20 international between India and South Africa, at Dharamsala. This is the first game of the tour for South Africa, which includes 3 Twenty20 internations, 5 ODIs and 4 Tests.

South Africa have won the toss and are going to bowl first.

The match begins at 7 pm IST. You can read the match preview here.

Here's how the two teams have fared against each other in the past.

Also, there are some spicy one-on-one encounters to look out for. 

Ajinkya Rahane is not in the starting XI for India. MS Dhoni returns as captain.