South Africa vs India, IND in SA, 4 T20Is, 2024 Full score card

OUT! BOWLED'EM! DONE AND DUSTED!  Avesh Khan steams in and serves this full, on off, shaping in, Keshav Maharaj goes for another wild hoick across the line but misses it completely. The ball goes through and clatters into the off pole. INDIA WIN BY 61 RUNS!

Overpitched and on middle, Nqabayomzi Peter drills it to long on for one.

FOUR! Nice shot! Short of a length and on middle, Nqabayomzi Peter stands tall and swats it straight past the bowler and to the fence for a boundary.

DROPPED! A good effort though! Avesh Khan bangs this into the pitch and on middle, Keshav Maharaj pulls it aerially towards deep square leg. Ramandeep Singh covers good ground his left, dives ahead and gets both hands on it, but it just spills out when his hands hit the ground, He is gutted there. The batters take one.

Swing and a miss! Back of a length and around off, Keshav Maharaj swings wildly across the line only to connect with thin air.

Another low full toss, outside off, Nqabayomzi Peter squeezes it to point.

Nqabayomzi Peter is the last batter to walk in for South Africa!

OUT! RUN OUT! Another one bites the dust! Fuller and on off, Keshav Maharaj drives it straight to extra covers and sets off for the run. There is a bit of confusion between the batters and both of them gets stranded halfway down the track. Suryakumar Yadav picks up, aims and hits bullseye at the batter's end with Gerald Coetzee nowhere near the crease. India just one wicket away from the win now!

Excellent effort in the deep! A full toss around off, Keshav Maharaj thumps it wide of long off where Ramandeep Singh runs to his left and puts in a dive to make a spectacular stop. Two runs taken.

Good change of pace! Good length and outside off, angling away, Keshav Maharaj gets deceived by the lack of pace and misses.

A low full toss, on off, Gerald Coetzee comes forward and cue-ends it towards long off for a run.

Similar delivery, full but well outside off, Gerald Coetzee once again fails to lay bat on that. Wided again.

Goes for the wide yorker, but bowls it way outside off, Gerald Coetzee fails to reach it. Wided.

Fuller and on off, Keshav Maharaj drills it towards long off for a single.

Strategic break! With 74 runs required off just 24 deliveries, South Africa faces a near-impossible task and will need nothing short of a miracle to pull this off. Yet, Gerald Coetzee’s fearless blitz in the last over keeps faint hope alive. It’s a steep mountain to climb, but cricket has seen its share of improbable comebacks, and South Africa will give it their all. On the other hand, India stands on the brink of victory, needing only a couple of well-executed deliveries to seal the game!

Swing and miss! Slower one, on a good length and around leg, Gerald Coetzee backs away and slashes at it but goes through it early and misses.

SIX MORE! Oh..incredible shot! Hardik Pandya bangs this short and on middle, Gerald Coetzee picks up te length early and whacks it over the deep square leg fence for half a dozen more.

SIX! Wow..that has gone many a miles! Hardik Pandya serves this full and on off, Gerald Coetzee swings hard across the line and smokes it against the wind over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Short of a length but down the leg side, Gerald Coetzee misses out on his hook shot.

Pitched up and on middle, Keshav Maharaj clips it over mid-wicket for a run.

Hard length and on middle, Keshav Maharaj stays back and blocks it out.

Back of a length and angling into leg, Gerald Coetzee backs away and swats it wide of mid off for a single.

Keshav Maharaj comes out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Hardik Pandya manages to hold on this time and Ravi Bishnoi gets his third! Marco Jansen after a small cameo has to walk back for 12(8)! Ravi Bishnoi slows it up and keeps it full, outside off, Marco Jansen looks for a big shot over long off but gets an outside edge that goes high in the air around cover-point region. Hardik Pandya swivesl around and takes it with both hands.

Goes into the hands of Hardik Pandya and just pops out! This is pitched up, outside off, Marco Jansen looks to reverse sweep but hits it to Hardik Pandya at point who goes at it with hard hands and the ball spills out.

SIX! Nonchalant! Too full and punished! On off, pitched right up, Marco Jansen swipes it across and clears the fence with ease over square leg.

Pushed through, fuller and outside off, Marco Jansen leans on and drives it to cover.

Full and outside off, Gerald Coetzee slaps it to long off for a single.

SIX! Muscled it! Too full from Bishnoi, on middle, Gerald Coetzee clears his front leg and clubs it straight over the bowler's head for a biggie.

An outstanding effort from Rinku Singh but the ball just falls short! Axar Patel pulls the length back and on middle, Gerald Coetzee pulls it in front of long on. Rinku Singh charges to get top the ball and dives ahead but the ball just dips in front of him. A single off it.

Full, on off, Gerald Coetzee backs away a bit and pushes it to point.

Full, on middle and leg, Marco Jansen taps it to mid-wicket and gets a single. This also brings up 100 runs for South Africa!

FOUR! Picked up beautifully! Marco Jansen can bat and he will have to pull some magic here to help his side! Short and on middle, Marco Jansen picks the length early and whips it to deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Gerald Coetzee is off the mark! Angling into the pads, on a fuller length, Coetzee clips it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Fires the first one in, on middle and leg, Marco Jansen taps it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full, outside off, Gerald Coetzee drives it to cover.

Gerald Coetzee is the next man in.

OUT! LBW! PLUMB IN FRONT! Ravi Bishnoi gets two in the over too! Bowls the wrong one, on a fuller length, in and around off and gets the ball to turn back in sharply, Andile Simelane is hurried deep in the crease and he fails to jam it out. Gets pinged right in front of the middle peg on the pad and up goes the dreaded finger!

Cramps the batter for room with a nagging length, on middle and leg, Andile Simelane just about manages to squeeze it out.

Short and on off, Andile Simelane cuts it to point.

SIX! BANG! Oh hello? Where has that come from? What a start to his international carrer with the bat! Tossed up by Bishnoi, on off, Andile Simelane gets right under the line and smokes it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Andile Simelane walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Ravi Bishnoi joins the party and South Africa are falling like a pile of cards! 3 wickets in the last 5 balls! Ravi Bishnoi keeps it outside off, on a fuller length, Patrick Kruger has to reach for it and looks to carve it away through the gap at cover-point. He gets it off the outer half and to the right of point where Hardik Pandya stretches out and despite a fumble manages to gobble it up well.

Full, on off, Marco Jansen pushes it to cover.

Marco Jansen comes out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Two big wickets in this over and South Africa lose half their side for just 87 runs! Not the best of balls but Varun Chakaravarthy will take the result any day! Short and on middle, there to be put away, David Miller looks to hoick it across the line and picks the length right. Doesn't time it as well as he would have wanted to and skies it straight down the throat of Avesh Khan at deep square leg. Varun Chakaravarthy gets 3 wickets and South Africa are in all sorts of trouble now!

Full, on middle and off, Patrick Kruger knocks it to long on for a single.

Patrick Kruger walks out to the middle now.

OUT! CAUGHT! Varun Chakaravarthy gets his second and this is the biggest fish in the Proteas lineup! The pressure was mounting and it was bound to come! Varun Chakaravarthy drags the length down by a bit and keeps it on off, Heinrich Klaasen winds up for the big heave but fails to get the timing right. Hits it off the lower half of his bat and as far as long on. Axar Patel settles under it and takes it quite comfortably. South Africa lose their fourth!

SIX! Into the orbits! Tossed right up, on off, Heinrich Klaasen gets under it and dispatches it well over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Full, on off, David Miller looks to cut but ges and inside edge that goes off his pads in front of point. The collect a quick single.

Tossed up, on off, David Miller taps it to cover for a single. Just a single off that over and the pressure is mounting!

Five dots on the trot! Quicker and fuller, just outside off, at 106 kph, David Miller is beaten on the outside edge by the pace on this one.

Lands it nice and full, outsdie off, David Miller looks to slog it across but the ball keeps low and scoots low under the bat.

Another one that goes straight on, leg, David Miller fails to read it off Bishnoi's hand and misses.

Lands the wrong one, fuller and on off, David Miller looks to play at it across the line and gets a thick outside edge to short third.

Full and on leg, David Miller looks to turn it around but misses onto his thigh pad.

Flighted, full and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen drives it straight to covers. Just 2 runs off the over. Superb stuff!

Pushed through quicker, short and on leg, angling in, Heinrich Klaasen gets cramped up and misses to get hit on the pads.

Drags his length back and outside off, David Miller punches it through extra covers for a run.

Floated, full and around middle, David Miller swipes it off the inside half of the bat towards short fine.

Short and around off, Heinrich Klaasen cuts it through point for a single.

Flatter, short and outside off, Heinrich Klaasen stabs it down to extra covers.

Strategic break! South Africa finds themselves three wickets down, but they’ve done well to keep the scoreboard ticking, which remains a key positive in their chase. Heinrich Klaasen has opted for a measured approach, providing some stability, while David Miller is beginning to find his rhythm. Together, they’ll aim to build a steady partnership, setting the platform to take the game deep. While India will aim to stem the flow of runs and build pressure which is certain of getting them the wickets in these middle overs.

Another short delivery, outside off, angling away, David Miller looks to for the cut but misses.

Quicker, full and on off, skids through, Heinrich Klaasen backs away and punches it very close from the stumps through cover-point for one.

FOUR! Put away! A googly, short and on middle, turns in, Heinrich Klaasen stays deep in his crease and heaves it away finding the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary.

Flighted, full and on middle, David Miller drills it down to long on for another run.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Heinrich Klaasen goes for the big slog but gets an inside edge through square leg for a run. That could have gone anywhere.

Sloppy! Ravi Bishnoi begins with a short delivery, outside off, David Miller bunts it towards extra covers where Suryakumar Yadav lets it through for a single.

Drags his length back, on off, David Miller forces it down to long on for one more.

Another short delivery, outside off, Heinrich Klaasen cuts it through point for one.

Flatter, short and on middle, David Miller flicks it off the back foot through mid-wicket for a run.

Floated, full and on middle, turns away, David Miller pushes it down the pitch.

SIX! BANG! You cannot bowl there to Miller! Varun Chakaravarthy serves a half-tracker, on off, David Miller's eyes light up as he rocks back and hammers it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Short and around off, Heinrich Klaasen stays back and punches it through covers for a single.

On a length and on off, Heinrich Klaasen works it towards long on for a run. 9 runs off the over.

Hits the hard length, on middle, angling in, Heinrich Klaasen keeps it out to the leg side.

FOUR! Slashed away! Back of a length and outside off, Heinrich Klaasen accepts the width on offer and throws his hands at it slicing it over point for a boundary.

Pitched up and on off, shaping away, Heinrich Klaasen looks to drive but gets an outside edge through point for a couple of runs.

Back of a length and around leg, David Miller nudges it towards fine leg for a run.

Fuller and on off, angling in, Heinrich Klaasen works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single. 50 up for South Africa!

A leg-break this time, full and on off, David Miller stays back and keeps it out on the pitch. South Africa are 49/3 at the end of the Powerplay!

Flatter, full but down the leg side, David Miller leaves it alone. Wided.

Slows it up a bit, full and on middle, David Miller pushes it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Gets off the mark in style! Drags his length back, outside off, David Miller gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through covers for a boundary.

Oh..how did that miss the stumps? Another wrong'un, full and on middle, turns away, David Miller looks to work it away but gets squared up. The ball sneaks past the outside edge and just misses the off pole.

David Miller walks out to bat at number 5 for South Africa!

OUT! TAKEN! Varun Chakaravarthy strikes straightaway! The move to introduce spin has worked wonders for Suryakumar Yadav and his team. This is the googly, full and around middle. Ryan Rickelton goes down and looks to slog sweep it away, but fails to get under it fully. As a result, gets a top edge as the ball goes high in the air towards the wide long on fence where Tilak Varma settles under it well and pouches it safely. Rickelton falls for 21 off 11 and the Proteas are three down now!

Varun Chakaravarthy starts with a floater, full and on middle, Ryan Rickelton only manages to knock it back to the bowler.

Good first over from Hardik Pandya! Just the three runs off it! Lands it on a hard length, on off, Heinrich Klaasen taps it to cover.

An absolute peach! Hardik Pandya with an upright seam bowls it on a hard length, just outside off and gets the ball to nip away off the deck to beat the outside edge.

Goes full and on off, Heinrich Klaasen firms his drive well but straight to cover.

Into the hips, on a length, Ryan Rickelton gets his bat ahead and tucks it to deep square leg for one.

WIDE! On a good length but just down leg, Ryan Rickelton looks to tickle it away but misses.

Back of a length, on middle and leg, Heinrich Klaasen pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Starts from over the wicket and pitches it on a good length, on middle and off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it to mid off.

SIX! In total control this time! Short of a length and on off, Ryan Rickelton pulls and pulls it well over deep square leg for a biggie. The ball lands on the roof!

FOUR! Not in control but Ravi Bishnoi fails to mop it up well! Avesh Khan hits the deck hard, on a hard length, on middle, Ryan Rickelton looks to pull but gets it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg region. Ravi Bishnoi from deep fine sprints quickly and slides ahead but fails to push it back.

Gets off the mark straightaway! Attacking the stumps, on a length, Heinrich Klaasen taps it in front of covers and scampers across for a quick single.

Heinrich Klaasen is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! Avesh Khan gets the big fish in Tristan Stubbs and South Africa are in early trouble chasing 203! Avesh Khan keeps it short and outside off, Tristan Stubbs sees the length to be short and looks to punch it over the infield on the off side. Gets a bit late on the shot and it comes off the upper half of his bat and straight into the bread basket of Suryakumar Yadav at mid off.

Angles it into the pads, on a good length, Tristan Stubbs flicks it aerially over mid-wicket for a brace.

Serves it full, outside off, with some shape taking the ball away further, Tristan Stubbs has a wild swing but plays inside the line.

Fuller and outside off, Tristan Stubbs drives it well to the left of mid off where Suryakumar Yadav dives and makes a stop keeping it down to just a single.

SIX! Picked right off the hooks! A bit too full from Arshdeep Singh, into the pads, Tristan Stubbs flicks it handsomely over deep square leg for a biggie.

WIDE! Angling away, well outside off, Tristan Stubbs slashes at it but misses.

Serves the inswinger, on a length, outside off, Tristan Stubbs looks to force it through the off side but gets an inside edge that goes back to thump him on the pad.

Another one that goes past the outside edge! Good length, angling across, just outside off, Tristan Stubbs has a feel for it but misses.

Honing in, over the stumps, on a length, Ryan Rickelton taps it to cover and rotates the strike over.

Swings one away, on a good length, outside off, Ryan Rickelton with no foot movement look to fiddle at this away from his body but misses on the outside edge.

Beautiful delivery to finish the over! Hits the deck hard, on a short of a length, over middle and gets the ball to nip away a bit, Tristan Stubbs charges down the track and looks to loft it straight but the ball goes past the outside edge.

On a good length, over off, Tristan Stubbs taps it to cover.

Back of a length, onto the body, Ryan Rickelton dabs it behind to short fine leg for a single.

FOUR! Two-in-two for Ryan Rickelton too! Avesh Khan gets the line a bit closer than the previous one towards the off-stump line, on a length, Ryan Rickelton carves it through cover-point and gets another boundary.

FOUR! Beautul shot to get off the mark! Angling away, outside off, on a length, Ryan Rickelton hops back and crunches it through covers for a boundary.

Charges in from over the wicket and hurls it on a good length, on off, Ryan Rickelton punches it to cover.

Avesh Khan to share the attack.

Good length, in and around off, shaping back in a bit, Tristan Stubbs checks it out to mid off.

Full and on off, Tristan Stubbs gets low and cuts it through point for a couple of runs to get off the mark. However, the third umpire wants to check if there was a short run or not. The replay shows that it is 'touch and go' with Stubbs dragging his bat with the toe-end just about crossing the line. The on-field umpire initially gives it a short run mistakenly, but then corrects it and the hosts get a couple in the end.

Tristan Stubbs walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! Arshdeep Singh has the final laugh and India make that early inroad they were after! Arshdeep Singh lands it nice and full, with the angle going across the batter, outside off, Aiden Markram is drawn ahead and he looks for another crack at the delivery leaving him, and plays it inside the line. Gets a thick outside edge that goes straight into the mitts of Sanju Samson behind the stumps.

FOUR! This is classic from Aiden Markram! Arshdeep Singh gets the ball fuller and on middle and off, with some inward movement, Aiden Markram keeps his head still and punches it to the left of mid off for another boundary.

FOUR! Great start to the chase from Aiden Markram! Arshdeep Singh offers a lot of width outside off, on a fuller length, Markram frees his arms and creams it through covers for a boundary.

Steams in from over the wicket and hurls it on a good length, on off and gets the ball to tail back in, Aiden Markram gets an inside edge to square leg trying to squeeze it out.

OUT! RUN OUT! What a turnaround this has been! South Africa will be mighty pleased with the way they roared back in this inning! Marco Jansen keeps it short and over middle and leg, with the pace off the ball, Ravi Bishnoi fails to get any bat on it and the ball rolls back to the keeper. Arshdeep Singh sprints across to steal a bye and Ravi Bishnoi is slightly late to set off. Heinrich Klaasen throws the ball back to Marco Jansen who collects it, swivels back and hits the stumps. Ravi Bishnoi was too lazy to drag his bat down and despite crossing the line, his bat stays in the air when the bails were knocked off. India end at 202/8!

Darts it into the deck, on a hard length, over off, Arshdeep Singh is early on his shot and chops it back to the bowler to his right. Marco Jansen does well to get some hand on it as the batter steal a run.

Fired in, full and at the stumps, Arshdeep Singh only manages to squeeze it back to Jansen.

Oh dear! Marco Jansen has cleaned Arshdeep Singh up but has overstepped! Can you believe it? Arshdeep Singh almost walked out of the park but is called back in. A Free Hit will now follow! A pin-point yorker, at the stumps, Arshdeep Singh fails to dig it out and the ball rattles the stumps.

Into the deck goes Jansen, on middle and leg, Ravi Bishnoi tucks it to mid-wicket for a single. India manage to get to the 200-run mark with the wheels coming off!

A wild swing and a miss! On a length, outside off, Ravi Bishnoi looks to whip it across but misses.

OUT! CAUGHT! Another one bites the dust and India are running out of fuel towards the end! What looked like one-way traffic is now pivoted beautifully by the Proteas! Short and outside off, Axar Patel stands tall and cuts it hard but flat and straight to Tristan Stubbs at deep point who didn't have to move an inch.

Ravi Bishnoi comes out to the middle now.

WIDE! Full and down leg, Axar Patel fails to glide it away and the umpire calls it a wide.

Who will bowl the last over? It will be Marco Jansen.

FOUR! Wow, what a shot from Arshdeep Singh first up! On a length, on middle and leg, Arshdeep Singh steps out and makes room before clattering it over covers for a boundary.

Arshdeep Singh walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Gerald Coetzee gets his third and the dangerous Rinku Singh has to trudge back for just 11(10). Coetzee digs it in short and down leg, takes some pace off the ball this time around, Rinku Singh like the previous ball tries to tickle it on its way but is early on his shot. The ball catches his glove and goes to the right of the keeper. Heinrich Klaasen quickly moves across and dives ahead to take it low on his right.

FOUR! Gerald Coetzee errs again and Rinku Singh makes the most of it. Sliding down leg, on a length, Rinku Singh helps it on it's way to deep fine fence for a boundary.

Follows the batter who was backing a long way, with a back-of-a-length delivery, on the body, Rinku Singh fails to pull and it goes past to the keeper.

Short of a length, over middle, Axar Patel pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

FOUR! Cut and cut away nicely! Gerald Coetzee errs by a bit and keeps it short, on off. This sits up nicely for Axar Patel and he cuts it well past deep point to his right.

Fires it full, attacking the stumps, Rinku Singh takes a step out and hammers it straight back to the bowler. Great over from Marco Jansen! Just the 3 runs off it!

Back of a length, over off, Rinku Singh ramps it over the keeper off the outer half of the bat to deep third. Keshav Maharaj chases the ball and dives ahead to pull the ball back in time. Just the two runs then!

Well bowled! Back of a length, over middle, Rinku Singh leaves it hoping for it to be called a wide, but it isn't!

Goes back to landing it full, on off, with some pace off, Axar Patel gets behind the line and drills it to long on for a single.

Mixing it up nicely is Marco Jansen! Keeps it short of a length this time, outside off, Axar Patel looks to slash it away but misses.

Nails the yorker, with the angle coming in, on middle and leg, Axar Patel drops his bat low and manages to dig it out.

Back of a length, into the bodyline, Axar Patel hops and tucks it behind to deep fine for a single to get off the mark.

Axar Patel is the next man in.

OUT! CAUGHT! The Proteas are pulling things back beautifully and Gerald Coetzee is pumped to bits! Hits the deck hard, on a short of a length, outside off, Hardik Pandya stays rooted to the crease and cuts it hard but straight down the throat of Marco Jansen at deep point. South Africa get three big wickets in three consecutive overs!

Takes some pace off and keeps it outside off, on a good length, Hardik Pandya swings but misses.

Full, on the pads, Rinku Singh flicks it to deep fine for a single.

FOUR! Rinku Singh gets off the mark with a boundary! Beautifully placed! This is pitched on a length, outside off, Rinku Singh charges down to the track, opens the off side up and cuts it to beat the deep point fielder to his right.

Hard length, outside off, Hardik Pandya reaches out and flays it to deep cover for a single.

Slows it up and keeps it on a nagging length, just outside off, Rinku Singh looks for a big slog but misses. The ball sneaks past the off-stump not by more than a whisker!

Short and outside off, sliding through quicker, Rinku Singh waits back and steers it straight to short third.

Strategic Break! Sanju Samson has finally fallen after a special knock of 107 off 50, and now India have two new batters who will need to go big in the last few overs to reach that 220 mark. South Africa have struck at the right time and will look to build on this and restrict the visitors to a total that they can put up a good fight to chase. Also, Rinku Singh walks out to bat now.

OUT! CAUGHT! A fantastic catch from Tristan Stubbs and it certainly needed something special to get rid of Sanju Samson! Nqabayomzi Peter digs it in short and on middle, Sanju Samson winds up for a big pull and does so against the wind. Gets a good connection over deep mid-wicket but the wind just slows the ball a bit giving enough for Tristan Stubbs to time his leap to his left and take a fabulous catch just inches within the rope to see the back of Samson. A timely wicket for Proteas!

SIX! Humongous! Tossed right up, in the arc, on middle, Sanju Samson takes his front leg out and clubs it well over long on for a biggie.

Full and on leg, Hardik Pandya gets low and swipes it over to deep square leg for a single.

Quicker, fuller and on middle, Sanju Samson taps it to short fine for a single.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Hardik Pandya blocks it out. Keshav Maharaj finishes his spell with figures of (4-0-34-1). Pretty good amidst all the chaos!

Flighted, full and on off, Hardik Pandya drives it straight to short covers.

Hardik Pandya walks out to bat at number 5 for India!

OUT! TAKEN! Keshav Maharaj strikes and South Africa can get some relief for the moment! Floated, full and around off, Tilak Varma goes down for the slog sweep, but this one bounces a bit extra. It takes the top edge and goes high in the air and holds up a bit in the wind as well. Marco Jansen at deep mid-wicket judges it well and takes a good catch. Tilak Varma departs after a quick-fire 33 off just 18 balls!

Fuller, outsdie off, quicker as well, Tilak Varma looks to whip it acorss but misses. Gets an inside edge to short third.

FOUR! Poor delivery and rightly punished! Short and around leg, Tilak Varma goes down and hooks it past short fine leg for a boundary.

HUNDRED FOR SAMSON! What a breathtaking knock this has been from him! He becomes the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in T20Is. He also scores the fastest ton against South Africa in this format by an Indian batter. This is short and around off, Sanju Samson stays back and punches it down to long off for a single. He takes off his helmet and raises his bat to celebrate it and soaks in all the applause.

Slower, hard length and outside off, Sanju Samson slaps it through covers for one. The runs just keep on coming. 20 from this over and 63 in the last four!

SIX! There is no stopping Sanju Samson here! Patrick Kruger bangs this short and on middle, sits up nicely for the batter. Sanju Samson gets on top of that and hammers it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie.

Short of a length and outside off, Tilak Varma punches it to sweeper covers for a single.

SIX! 'Fetch that' says Tilak Varma! Patrick Kruger goes full and around off, slower too, Tilak Varma knows there is no protection in the deep on the leg side. He goes down across and slog sweeps it over the deep square leg fence for a biggie. 150 up for India!

FOUR! Easy pickings! Patrick Kruger bangs this short and wide outside off, Tilak Varma gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it over point for a boundary.

A loopy low full toss, on off, Tilak Varma thumps it down the ground, David Miller at long on runs to his left and makes a good sliding stop. Two runs taken.

Back of a length and around off, Tilak Varma punches it through extra covers for one. 18 off this over, 43 in the last three!

A low full toss, on middle, Sanju Samson drills it down to long on for a run.

A bouncer, slower one but well outside off, Sanju Samson leaves it alone. Wided. That also brings up the 50-run partnership between these two batters and it has come in double quick time.

SIX! Oh..wow! That is just sublime! Andile Simelane goes fuller and around off, Sanju Samson stays in his crease, presents the full face of the bat and gently lifts it with superb timing. The ball sails over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie. He moves into the 90s now!

FOUR! TWO IN TWO! A bit streaky this time! Andile Simelane lands this back of a length and well outside off. Sanju Samson throws his bat at it, loses all his shape, but gets a thick outside edge between the keeper and first slip for four more runs.

FOUR! Deft touch! Sanju Samson moves into the 80s now! Andile Simelane serves the wide yorker, outside off, nothing wrong with the delivery. Sanju Samson waits for it and squeezes it out past first slip for a boundary.

Fuller in length and on middle, Tilak Varma moves across and looks to play the scoop, but falls over and miscues the shot to fine leg for a single.

Another short delivery, on leg, Tilak Varma goes down and swipes it through square leg for one. 13 runs off this over, 25 in the last two!

Slows it up, full and on middle and leg, Tilak Varma goes down for the reverse sweep but misses and gets hit on the pads. A stifled appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Goes short again, on middle, Sanju Samson punches it towards long off for a run.

SIX! Up, up and away! So pleasing to the eye to watch him bat! Nqabayomzi Peter floats it up, full and on off, Sanju Samson backs away a bit, extends his arms and launches it high and handsomely over the long off fence for another biggie.

Short and on middle, Tilak Varma stays back and flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Picks the gap to perfection! Tossed up, full and on middle, Tilak Varma goes down on one knee and slog-sweeps it hard between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

FOUR! Put away! Keshav Maharaj drags his length back and around middle, Sanju Samson picks up the length early, rocks back and heaves it away wide of deep mid-wicket for a boundary. 12 runs off the over!

Quicker, short and angling into the leg side, Sanju Samson moves back and flick it away but misses and gets hit on the thigh pads.

Flatter, short and outside off, Tilak Varma cuts it towards deep point for a run.

Tossed up, full and on off, Sanju Samson drives it towards long off for a single.

SIX! What a shot! 100 UP FOR INDIA! Floated, full and around middle, Sanju Samson puts on the dancing shoes, gets to the pitch of the ball and dispatches it over the bowler's head for a biggie.

Short and around off, Sanju Samson pushes it towards extra covers.

SIX! Picked the bones off that one did Tilak Varma! Andile Simelane after solid 5 balls is smoked for a biggie to ruin his first over in T20Is! Pitched on a length, angling away, on middle and off, Tilak Varma with a steady head, swings across the line and gets it right off the hooks over square leg for a biggie.

Takes pace off and keeps it outside off, on a length, Sanju Samson cuts it to deep point for one.

Hard length, on middle and leg, Tilak Varma hops back and tucks it in front of deep mid-wicket for a single and gets off the mark.

Bashes this into the deck, on a short of a length, over middle, Tilak Varma swivels to pull but misses. Is way too early on the shot and the ball goes off his bicep and crashes onto the grill of his helmet, lobbing behind in front of the keeper. Tilak Varma will have to go through a mandatory concussion test!

Nicely bowled! Rolls his fingers on the ball and keeps it on a good length, just outside off, Tilak Varma looks to cut it late but misses.

Starts from over the wicket and lands it on a hard length, on middle and off, Sanju Samson whips it to long on for a single.

Tilak Varma comes out to the middle now. Debutant Andile Simelane comes into the attack as well.

OUT! CAUGHT! Patrick Kruger gets a big sigh of relief and the over ends in an anticlimatic fashion! Gets the perfect knuckle-ball on a hard length, just in and around the off-stump line, Suryakumar Yadav with a good swing tries to heave it across the line but is totally undone by the lack of pace. Skies it straight to Andile Simelane at deep mid-wicket who takes a few steps across to his left and collects it with ease.

Good length, on off, Sanju Samson waits back and slashes it uppishly against the wind to deep point for a single.

Fires it full, outside off, Suryakumar Yadav gets closer to the line and hits it hard all along the ground to long off for a single. 9 balls bowled so far!

WIDE! It's going from bad to worse for Kruger! Rolls his fingers on the ball and keeps it further outside off than the previous one!

WIDE! Takes pace off and keeps it wayward on off, well outside the tramline. The Free Hit will continue!

Oh dear, Patrick Kruger is struggling with his rhythm! This is another No Ball from him and another Free Hit for Suryakumar Yadav! Looks for the slower ball and rolls his fingers over the ball but darts it full and over to the keeper. Suryakumar Yadav does well to sway away from the line.

WIDE! Overcompensates with a full delivery, well outside the tramline on off, Suryakumar Yadav leaves it alone.

Great effort from Gerald Coetzee to save a couple of runs! Patrick Kruger serves a full toss outside off, Suryakumar Yadav gets across and helps it on its way behind square on the leg side. Gerald Coetzee gives the ball a good chase and just in time flicks it back in, tagging it back to Andile Simelane who mops it up for just two.

NO BALL! Kruger has overstepped! A Free Hit will now follow! This is full, outside off, Sanju Samson drills it to long off for just a single this time.

FOUR! CLOUT! Sanju Samson is unbothered with any bowling change! This is pitched fuller and outside off, with the pace off again, Sanju Samson gets closer to the line and tonks it over mid off for a boundary.

Starts from over the wicket and keeps it well outside off, on a fuller length, and takes pace off, Suryakumar Yadav jams it out to deep point for a single.

Strategic Break! India are cruising along with Sanju Samson leading the charge already notching up his fifty. Suryakumar Yadav is also playing like he usually does and these two are sticking up a threatening stand for the Proteas. South Africa did get an early wicket but after that, they have not been able to create many opportunities and they will be looking to slow things down in the middle overs and pick up a few wickets to put pressure on the middle order of the visitors which is not that long. An exciting phase of cricket awaits us. Also, Patrick Kruger to bowl after the break.

Short and drifting into the pads, Suryakumar Yadav tucks it in front of square leg for a single.

Full, on middle and off, Suryakumar Yadav pushes it back past the bowler to his left. Nqabayomzi Peter makes a fine stop to that side.

Pitched up, on middle, Sanju Samson hits it to long on for a single. This also brings up the 50-run stand between these two!

SIX! FIFTY FOR SANJU SAMSON! Nqabayomzi Peter is erring in his length and Sanju Samson is happy to cash in! This is dragged down, on middle and leg, Sanju Samson lofts his pull beautifully over mid-wicket for another biggie. 3 fours and 5 sixes for him already!

SIX! BANG! Beautiful shot from Sanju Samson and he is looking onsong for another big show tonight! Short and over middle, Sanju Samson reads the length early and nails his pull over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Starts from over the wicket and lands it nice and full, on off, Sanju Samson backs away and looks to hit it with hard hands but miscues it back to the bowler.

Just the 5 runs off this over from Keshav Maharaj! This is short and on middle, Sanju Samson rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Tossed up, on middle and off, Suryakumar Yadav looks to sweep but gets a top edge that goes high up in the air but falls well short of the man at deep fine leg for a single.

Drags the length down, on off, Sanju Samson knocks it down to long off for a single.

Pitched up, outside off, Suryakumar Yadav sweeps from well in front and hits it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Full, on middle and off, Sanju Samson miscues his whip again but manages to get it in front of mid-wicket for a single.

Comes from around the wicket and lands it on a nagging length, on off and gets the ball to skid through, Sanju Samson moves away and looks to cut but fails to connect well. Gets an inside edge that rolls to the leg side.

Back of a length, over off, Sanju Samson pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single. India end the Powerplay at 56/1!

Hits the deck hard, on a good length, on middle and leg, Sanju Samson takes a step out and whips it off the upper half of his bat to mid on.

Follows up with another shorter delivery, on middle and leg, takes some pace off this time and Sanju Samson fails to ramp it over the keeper's head.

SIX! Latched on and dispatched with ease! India get to 50 runs with that shot! Gerald Coetzee pulls the length back and keeps it on leg, angling it into the batter, Sanju Samson backs away a long way and readds the length early before pulling it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Continues to tuck Samson in for any room! On a back of a length, angling in, on leg, Sanju Samson fails to squeeze it across the line and gets pinged high on the pads.

Steams in from over the wicket and hurls it nice and full, with the angle coming into the batter, on middle nad leg, Sanju Samson looks to flick it off his pads but misses. The ball clips his pads and rolls away to the off side.

Marco Jansen bangs in a lethal bouncer, outside off, this one takes off again. Suryakumar Yadav moves across to hook it away but misses. Heinrich Klaasen grabs it behind the stumps and appeals, but it is turned down.

BEATEN! Marco Jansen hits the length hard and on the sixth stump line, angling away, Suryakumar Yadav looks to cut but misses.

FOUR! Great placement! Back of a length and outside off, Suryakumar Yadav waits for it, opens the face of the bat and uses the pace to guide it away to the deep backward point fence for a boundary.

Short of a length and on middle, Sanju Samson backs away and dabs it down to point for a single.

SIX! Much more in control now! Marco Jansen goes fuller and on middle and leg, Sanju Samson picks it up nicely and smokes it way over the wide long on fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Fine shot! Marco Jansen lands this back of a length and on middle, Sanju Samson stays deep inside the crease and pulls it hard. His bottom hand comes off but it zips to the deep mid-wicket fence for a boundary.

Boundaries continue to flow for India!

SIX! BOOM! SKY SPECIAL! Gerald Coetzee lands this on a good length and around middle, angling in, there to be hit. Suryakumar Yadav gets inside the line of it and whips it over the fine leg fence for a biggie.

Gerald Coetzee bangs this pitch hard again and outside off, takes off again, Suryakumar Yadav looks to ramp it away but misses for the third time in this over.

FOUR! Glorious shot to get off the mark! Gerald Coetzee after two dots, goes fuller and attacks the stumps, Suryakumar Yadav stays deep in the crease and with full presentation of the face of the bat lofts it over the bowler's head and helps himself to a boundary.

Oh..good pace and bounce! Short of a length and outside off, takes off viciously, Suryakumar Yadav slashes at it but fails to connect.

Short and outside off, nips away with extra bounce, Suryakumar Yadav chases after it but gets beaten by the pace and bounce.

The skipper, Suryakumar Yadav makes his way out to bat at number 3 for India!

OUT! TAKEN! What an introduction to the game for Gerald Coetzee! He gets rid of the dangerous Abhishek Sharma on the very first ball of his spell. Fuller delivery, on off, skids through again. Abhishek Sharma stays in his crease again and looks to loft it over mid off, but gets a bit hurried by the pace and his bat turns in his hands. As a result, the ball goes high in the air and does not get the distance. Aiden Markram at mid on runs backward, keeps his eyes on he ball, and takes a fantastic catch tumbling over in the end. Abhishek Sharma falls cheaply and India lose an early wicket!

Fourth change in as many overs as Gerald Coetzee comes into the attack now.

Arm ball, short and on middle, angling in, Sanju Samson misses his flick and gets hit on the pads. 12 runs off the over!

Quicker, full and on middle, Abhishek Sharma uses his feet and swats it to long on for one.

Flatter, short and on middle, skids through, Sanju Samson plays it very late and steers it towards short thrid for a single.

Tossed up, full and on off, Sanju Samson pushes it towards cover.

SIX! BANG! A bit of a mishit, but goes all over! Floated, full and on off, turns away a bit, Sanju Samson dances down the track but fails to reach it fully. However, still manages to generate enough power for it to sail over the wide long off fence for a biggie.

FOUR! Keshav Maharaj gets the same treatment as his skipper! Flighted delivery and around middle, Sanju Samson goes inside out and lofts it beautifully over extra covers for a boundary. The intent has been pretty clear from both the openers here.

Surprisingly, Keshav Maharaj is tossed the ball early in the inning!

Short again and on off, Abhishek Sharma moves back but slaps it straight to extra covers.

Great fielding! Short and around off, Sanju Samson punches it hard and wide of covers where Ryan Rickelton dives to his left to make a fine stop. Just one.

FOUR! Up and over! Flighted, full and around off, Sanju Samson backs away a bit and lifts it. He does not get it from the middle of the bat but gets enough to send it over mid off for a boundary. His first of the match.

Fires one full and outside off, Sanju Samson tries to reach it and loft it over covers but misses.

Floated, full and on middle, Abhishek Sharma uses his feet again and drills it towards long off for a single.

FOUR! Abhishek Sharma greets Aiden Markram in his own style! Tossed up, full and on off, Abhishek Sharma skips down the track and smacks it well over extra covers for the first boundary of the game.

The skipper Aiden Markram brings himself on to share the new ball from the other end!

Another swing and miss! This time from Sanju Samson! Fuller in length and outside off, angling away, Samson makes room and flays at it but misses it completely. Just 2 runs off the first over then!

Short of a length and on off, Sanju Samson sits deep in his crease and punches it to covers.

Back of a length and on middle and off, Abhishek Sharma uses his feet to swat it away but gets it off the bottom part of the bat. Marco Jansen gets a hand to on his follow-through on the bounce and it deflects towards wide of mi off. They cross.

Hard length and on middle, nips away a bit, Abhishek Sharma moves back and across to stab it down to short covers.

Swing and a miss! Marco Jansen goes a bit fuller this time and around off, shaping away, Abhishek Sharma has a wild swing through the line but only connects with thin air.

India and Sanju Samson are underway straightaway! Marco Jansen steams in from 'over the wicket, lands this on a good length and on middle, shaping in too. Samson works it off the inner half of the bat through square leg for a single.

Right then, with all the prematch formalities behind us, the action is now set to commence at Kingsmead! The two umpires make their way out to the middle, followed closely by the South African team, who take their positions on the field. For India, openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma stride out determined to give their team a strong start. Marco Jansen has the new ball in hand, ready to charge in and make an early impact. Away we go!

Both teams make their way onto the field, led by their respective captains, and line up alongside the match officials for the national anthems. A moment of respect and unity before the contest unfolds. First up, it will be India’s national anthem, followed by the South African anthem to echo through the stadium.

India (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakaravarthy.

South Africa (Playing XI) - Ryan Rickelton (WK), Aiden Markram (C), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Patrick Kruger, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane (On Debut), Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Nqabayomzi Peter.

Suryakumar Yadav, the captain of India says that they would have batted first anyway. Adds that the wicket looks better than the one they practiced on and runs on the board is always a good thing. Mentions that the guys in the dressing room make his job a lot easier and he does not need to tell them much. Says that they do have some chats about the upcoming auction for the Indian T20 League but the focus will be on how to do well in this series.

Aiden Markram, the skipper of South Africa says that it looks like a good wicket, and with rain around they will want to make the most of any available moisture in the surface. Adds that this is a fantastic opportunity for the young guys to make debuts in front of their home crowd. Talks about how competitive they are as a team and they will want to try and play really good cricket.

TOSS - The coin lands in favour of Aiden Markram. South Africa have elected to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Shaun Pollock is down at the centre for the pitch analysis. He says it is slightly overcast with a strong breeze that is flowing across the ground.  Adds that both the captains will be very aware of this and says it will massively influence the game. Mentions that one side of the boundary is just 56 meters and with the wind, it will be hard to defend. Says there will be a lot of wide yorkers bowled and the challenge will be to hit against the wind. Talks about the deck and says it's very hard, has a good grass cover and with some moisture in it, the ball will carry nicely. Concludes by saying that teams might want to bowl first and try and get the most out of it, especially considering the chances of rain later.

India, on the other hand, will be under pressure after the 3-0 Test series defeat at home against New Zealand. However, this is a different format, and they have lost only once in the last 23 games. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav has a difficult job on his hands to get the best out of the young players. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma will most likely open, and this is a huge chance for them to make their mark with Jaiswal and Gill breathing down their neck and ahead in the pecking order. Hardik Pandya will play a crucial role with his all-round abilities and experience while Rinku Singh will act as the finisher. Avesh Khan and Arshdeep Singh will enjoy bowling here but Varun Chakaravarthy can be a trump card as well with his mystery spin. Ramandeep Singh was excellent in the ACC Men's Emerging Teams Asia Cup for India A and we may see him making his debut here. The Men in Blue does lack a bit of experience, but there is enough quality to challenge the hosts. Let's see who takes the early lead in the series. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

South Africa will still be hurting from that final defeat where they had the game in their grips. However, on home soil, they have a great record and will be more confident. Aiden Markram will hope that he and his boys can avenge that loss. Ryan Rickelton, an exciting and explosive opener will want to make his mark against the best T20I side in the world. Heinrich Klaasen returns to the side with heavy expectations and after being retained for a whopping 23 crore INR by Hyderabad for the upcoming Indian T20 League season, will surely want to prove his worth. Tristan Stubbs will be in the same boat and will be key in the middle order along with David Miller. Ottneil Baartman has been a consistent performer with the ball in this format while Gerald Coetzee will be lethal too in these conditions. Keshav Maharaj will also bring a lot of experience to the side and with his accurate spin bowling, he will be another one who can trouble the Indian batters.

Hello, and Welcome to the coverage of the 1st T20I between India and South Africa in this four-match series. This is the first encounter between these two teams since that historic T20 World Cup Final earlier this year where India came out on top in a thriller. This match will be played at Kingsmead in Durban and the venue is a high-scoring one, so we can expect to see a lot of fireworks going on this night.

... MATCH DAY ...

Just over four months after their thrilling T20 World Cup final showdown in Barbados, South Africa and India are set to rekindle their rivalry in an exciting four-match T20I series. The series kicks off at Kingsmead in Durban, followed by stops in Gqeberha, Centurion, and Johannesburg, promising action-packed games across South Africa. India’s setup has seen a generational shift since that unforgettable finale, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja stepping away from T20I duties. This change has paved the way for Suryakumar Yadav to lead an exciting, young Indian side that recently demonstrated its potential with a 3-0 sweep over Bangladesh at home. Despite missing Riyan Parag, Shivam Dube, and Mayank Yadav due to injury, the squad remains formidable, with Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Suryakumar forming the batting core. Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya add middle-order firepower, while all-rounders Axar Patel and Ramandeep Singh bolster the balance. The bowling unit sees uncapped Vijaykumar Vyshak and Yash Dayal joining experienced names like Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan in the pace attack, with Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi as the primary spinners. Meanwhile, South Africa are yet to secure a series win since that heartbreaking World Cup final loss, falling to the West Indies and sharing a series with Ireland. This series marks the return of South Africa’s seasoned T20I regulars, with Aiden Markram at the helm. Spin gets a boost with the return of Keshav Maharaj, joined by Nqabayomzi Peter. Experienced T20 stars Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller are also back in the lineup while the dynamic trio of Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, and Donovan Ferreira bring youthful firepower. The pace department has been fortified with the return of Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee, both easing back from injuries and features another dependable option in Ottneil Baartman. They are joined by the versatile trio of Patrick Kruger, Andile Simelane, and Mihlali Mpongwana, each capable of contributing with both bat and ball. Whether you are an India fan, a Proteas supporter, or just a neutral cricket enthusiast, this series promises to be an exhilarating ride. So, who are you backing to draw first blood in this series?