India and South Africa shared the honors of the India vs South Africa T20 International series after the final match in Bengaluru were washed out due to rain. The evening weather offered hope to the players and the audience, but the game turned out to be a disaster.
The Proteas won the first two matches, putting the series under pressure, but India bounced back in the next two matches to level the series at 2-2. The 5th match was the decider of the series and everyone was expecting a blast from both sides. Since 2011, South Africa has never lost a white ball series in India. India also wants a win because it was crucial for India to bounce back before the World Cup.
By winning the toss, South Africa invited India to bat first. The players took position on the field, but it started pouring three minutes before the game. The shower lasted for about half an hour. However, the M. Chinnaswamy stadium’s sub-aerodynamic system ensured that the game began at 7.50 p.m. by reducing one over on each side.
The beginning was a bit despairing for Team India because of the quick wickets of Ishan Kishan (15), and Ruturaj Gaikwad (10). India was struggling at 28/2 in 3.2 overs. The rain came back when Rishabh Pant was on strike. As the rain was not showing any sign of abating, the match was finally called off. South Africa finally maintained their winning streak in India.
Even though the series ended on an unnoticed note, the previous matches never disappointed the audience. With the unexceptional performances of Henrich Klaasen, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Lungi Ngidi, and David Miller, the series will always remain close to the hearts of many.
Many criticized India for its not-so-satisfying performance in the series. While reacting to the questions regarding Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer’s failure in the series, coach Rahul Dravid said,
“We’re not going to make knee-jerk reactions. As you have seen, I don’t like judging people after one series, or one game. Every one of the guys who got the opportunity here truly deserved the opportunity; they have earned it. And in this format of the game, you’re going to have some good games and some bad games. We are not very disappointed with anyone. As a group, we were looking to play a slightly more positive and attacking brand of cricket right from the beginning.”
Also, Dravid backed Captain Rishabh Pant that “He remains an integral part of our batting line-up. We know what he does with the power he has. The fact that he is a left-hander is very important for us as well in the middle overs. And he played some good knocks. For us, he is certainly a very big part of our plans going ahead in the next few months. ” Many believe that Pant is facing stiff competition from Dinesh Karthick as a first-choice wicketkeeper.
As the series ended in disappointment, fans are expecting a fabulous performance from both teams in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Let’s wait for the best.
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