India vs South Africa highlights, 1st T20I: Sanju Samson shines as India beat South Africa by 61 runs, take 1-0 lead in four-match series

SIX! Maharaj to Samson. The right hander dispatches the ball over the bowler's head. That's a massive hit. Sixth maximum from Sanju in the innings so far. 100 comes up for India in 10.2 overs.

SIX! Simelane to Tilak Varma. The left hander whacks this hard. The ball is too high in the air. It gets the support of the wind and lands into deep square leg fence. First maximum for Tilak.

INDIA 99/2 in 10 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

WICKET! Finally a huge relief for Patrick Kruger. He ends his 11-ball over with a prized wicket of India captain Suryakumar Yadav. Kruger experiences immense relief as the over concludes without drama. He delivers an excellent knuckle-ball at a challenging length near the off-stump. Suryakumar attempts a powerful swing across, but the slower pace deceives him completely. The ball soars high towards deep mid-wicket, where Andile Simelane advances a few steps to complete a straightforward catch.

1 4 N1 2 Wd N Wd Wd 1 1 W - Kruger's over

INDIA 90/2 in 9 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

Patrick Kruger to Suryakumar Yadav. The ball has slipped out off Patrick Kruger's hands. Free hit coming up. Suryakumar Yadav is on the strike.

FOUR! Sanju Samson is on fire tonight. He picks the length and smashes the ball towards long off. This was a powerful shot from the right hander.

INDIA 82/1 in 8.2 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

FIFTY! Same delivery and same treatment. That's fifty for Sanju Samson. Short and sliding down the leg. Sanju Samson clears his front leg and dispatches the ball over deep mid wicket fence. Superb pull from him.

SIX! Fourth maximum for Sanju Samson. Nqabayomzi Peter bowls a half tracker. Sanju has enough time. He goes on backfoot and slaps it away over the deep mid-wicket stand.

SIX! Sanju Samson smashes a magnificent six! The shot brings up India's 50! Coetzee delivers a back-of-length ball on the leg side, angling towards the batsman. Samson creates room by moving away significantly, picks the length early, and executes a powerful pull shot over mid-wicket for a maximum.

FOUR! SIX! Sanju Samson hits Marco Jansen for a boundary and then whacks the pacer over wide long-on for a maximum. India lost Abhishek early but SKY and Samson are continuing to plunder runs. 15 runs off Jansen's over.

INDIA 49/1 in 5 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

FOUR! SIX! Suryakumar is easing off the pressure. Suryakumar hits the South African for a boundary and then signs off his over with a huge six over fine leg. That's a typical SKY shot. What a hit from the Indian skipper.

WICKET! Gerald Coetzee strikes, Abhishek Sharma falls for 7 runs. Coetzee made an immediate impact in his first delivery, dismissing the threatening Abhishek. Full-length delivery from Coetzee. Abhishek attempts to lift the ball over mid-off. However, the rapid pace forces him to rush his shot. The ball soars skyward without sufficient height. At mid-on, Aiden Markram runs backwards and completes a brilliant catch. Abhishek is not happy at all.

INDIA 24/1 in 3.1 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

FOUR! SIX! More spin from South Africa. Aiden Markram gives the ball to Keshav Maharaj. Sanju Samson welcomes the spinner with a boundary off the first delivery and then clears the long off for a maximum. What a shot from the wicket-keeper batter. That's the kind of start India wanted from the openers.

INDIA 24/0 in 3 overs vs SOUTH AFRICA

FOUR! Aiden Markram starts from the other end. Abhishek Sharma welcomes the South African skipper with a boundary towards deep extra cover. The left hander dances down the track and smashes this hard. First boundary of India innings, the match and the series.

INDIA 7/0 in 1.3 overs vs SA

What a start from Marco Jansen. He didn't give a single opportunity to Indian openers to go find a fence. Just 2 runs off the South Africa's pacer's over. Superb pone from Jansen.

Sanju Samson takes a single off first ball and gives strike to Abhishek Sharma. The left hander tries to whack this hard but misses the swing completely. Sanju Samson walks to the middle and is having a chat with Abhishek.

India openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are making their way to the middle. Marco Jansen will open the attack for South Africa. Captain Suryakumar Yadav would want his openers to go all guns blazing and give a solid start to the team. A left and right combination for India at the top.

Let's play! Here we go... !!!

Both the teams - India and South Africa - have lined up for national anthems. The two sides walk onto the field, accompanied by their mascots, preparing for the pre-match ceremony.

First, the Indian national anthem begins to play, after which South Africa's anthem will follow.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to field against India in the first T20 International on Friday.

Hosts South Africa have handed a debut to 21-year-old all-rounder Andile Simelane.

The two teams will play a four-match series.

Teams:

India: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Varun Chakravarthy.

South Africa: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Partrick Kruger,Marco Jansen,Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Nqabayomzi Peter.

Team India maintains their existing lineup without introducing any newcomers.

Ramandeep Singh, Yash Dayal and Vijaykumar Vyshak remain on the sidelines awaiting their opportunities.

On the other hand, South Africa welcomes Andile Simelane for his first international appearance. The 21-year-old demonstrated impressive form in the recent CSA T20 Challenge, claiming 12 wickets across 6 matches.

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.

India:

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan

South Africa:

Ryan Rickelton(w), Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Patrick Kruger, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Nqabayomzi Peter

We were looking to bat first.

The wicket looks nice, better than the practice wicket and we will try to put runs on the board. The guys in the dressing room have made my job easier, the fearless approach they play with for their respective franchises and have brought the same approach to the team.

Suryakumar Yadav, India captain

We are going to bowl first.

Looks a pretty good wicket. There has been some rain around this week and if there's moisture we want to make use of it. Fantastic opportunity for guys to make their debuts at home and it is a great time for them to enjoy the game. We are quite a competitive team and the discussions have been how can we get positive results.

Aiden Markram, South Africa captain

South Africa captain Aiden Markram wins toss, opts to field against India in Durban

It is an overcast evening in Durban.

There is a strong breeze going across the ground and the teams should be vary of that. The wicket is very hard and the ball is going to carry through nicely. I would prefer to bowl first and see if there's any help for the pacers. And there's a slight chance of rain later on

BY - Shaun Pollock

Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday shared a key lesson he learned from Rohit Sharma, emphasizing the importance of maintaining balance, especially in challenging times. According to Surya, Rohit's philosophy centers on staying grounded, even when things aren’t going your way. Rohit has taught him that life balance is essential, helping players handle losses and setbacks without getting overly emotional. As India's T20I captain following the World Cup triumph, Surya acknowledged adopting 'Rohit's captaincy route' of dedicating substantial time with teammates away from the cricket field, believing it enhances their performance during matches.

Naturally, he has 'customized' this approach to align with his own leadership style and requirements.

"Winning and losing is part and parcel of sports. Everyone has done hard work. Sometimes you do well and sometimes you don't," said Surya, on the eve of the first T20I against South Africa in Durban, when asked about India's 0-3 defeat against New Zealand.

"I have learnt from him (Rohit) that in life, balance is important, after doing well, even if you lose, your character should not change. This is one quality sportsman should have," Surya added.

"A leader is one who decides how his team plays a particular format," said the world's top T20 batter.

"When I am on the ground, I keep noticing him. How his body language is and how he keeps calm and how he treats his bowlers, how he speaks to everyone on and off the field. I know how he treats his players, what he wants from them.

Coach VVS Laxman heads to the middle for a quick chat with Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav, soon joined by Hardik Pandya. India have embarked on a new era following their T20 World Cup victory, with Suryakumar stepping in as full-time captain and a fresh wave of young talent joining the ranks.

India's star allrounder Hardik Pandya pauses to acknowledge fans’ requests for selfies, taking a couple of photos before returning to his practice session.

India skipper Suryakumar, Sanju Samson and other team members are warming up in the middle. We are few moments away from the toss.

Heading into the series, India hold a slight advantage in the head-to-head record between the two teams. Out of the 27 T20I matches played so far, India has won 15, while South Africa has claimed 11 victories, with one match ending as "no result."

Since the T20 World Cup final at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, both teams have experienced contrasting fortunes in the shortest format.

Team India has been on a winning streak, having played three T20I series and emerged victorious in all of them.

Shortly after their World Cup triumph, India won a five-match series against Zimbabwe 4-1 under Shubman Gill's captaincy. This was followed by a 3-0 clean sweep over Sri Lanka in an away series under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, which included a thrilling Super Over victory. India then completed another 3-0 sweep, this time at home against Bangladesh.

Since becoming T20 World champions, India have won 10 of their last 11 T20I matches, showcasing their dominance in the format.

In stark contrast, South Africa have struggled since their narrow defeat to India in the World Cup final. The Proteas were whitewashed 3-0 by the West Indies in a T20I series after the World Cup. In their next series against Ireland in the UAE, South Africa managed to win the first match but suffered an upset in the second, allowing Ireland to draw the series 1-1.

This means South Africa has lost four of their five T20I matches since the World Cup final.

As the two sides prepare to clash, South Africa will be eager to turn their fortunes around at home, while India, high on confidence, will aim to continue their winning momentum. The first T20I in Durban promises to be an exciting contest, as the World Champions look to extend their dominance, and South Africa seeks redemption.

Suryakumar Yadav on Thursday shared a key lesson he learned from Rohit Sharma, emphasizing the importance of maintaining balance, especially in challenging times.

According to Surya, Rohit's philosophy centers on staying grounded, even when things aren’t going your way. Rohit has taught him that life balance is essential, helping players handle losses and setbacks without getting overly emotional.

As India's T20I captain following the World Cup triumph, Surya acknowledged adopting 'Rohit's captaincy route' of dedicating substantial time with teammates away from the cricket field, believing it enhances their performance during matches.

Naturally, he has 'customized' this approach to align with his own leadership style and requirements.

"Winning and losing is part and parcel of sports. Everyone has done hard work. Sometimes you do well and sometimes you don't," said Surya, on the eve of the first T20I against South Africa in Durban, when asked about India's 0-3 defeat against New Zealand.

"I have learnt from him (Rohit) that in life, balance is important, after doing well, even if you lose, your character should not change. This is one quality sportsman should have," Surya added.

It's CLOUDY in Durban at the moment.

There is a 99 percent cloud cover.

Humidity is 73 percent.

A notable milestone awaits both Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya in this encounter.

The two bowlers are currently tied in their pursuit to become India's leading wicket-taker in T20 internationals.

Both players stand at 87 wickets apiece, with Hardik achieving this in 105 T20I appearances whilst Arshdeep has reached the same tally in just 56 matches.

Additionally, they are competing to become the first Indian cricketer to secure 100 wickets in T20 international cricket.

India's T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav wore the hat of a chef to introduce two new entries to the Indian team -- bowler Vyshak Vijaykumar and batsman Ramandeep Singh -- in the most innovative way, ahead of the team's opening match in Durban on Friday.

In a video shared by the BCCI on social media, Surya, popularly called SKY, is seen presenting the players like a chef explains the ingredients of his recipes on a cookery show.

"Captain & Chef SKY introduces two new faces/dishes to the team menu. Ready to serve," the caption with the video-post read. "SKY like never seen before," it added.

South Africa’s T20I captain Aiden Markram clarified on Thursday that the upcoming series against India is not being viewed as a rematch of the T20 World Cup final, despite the anticipation.

In a pre-match conference, Markram emphasized that while it’s the same competing nations, both teams have seen significant personnel changes.

"It's the same countries I guess, but personnel has changed for both teams. It's always an exciting series when you play against India and especially when you play them at home. It's a series we have always looked forward to,” the South African skipper said.

The four-match series begins at Kingsmead, Durban, on Friday, marking South Africa’s first T20 face-off with India since their close World Cup final loss almost four months back.

However, both squads have shifted dramatically from those that competed in Barbados.

"We have not addressed anything about it being a rematch or things like that. Obviously, a lot of talk and promotions have happened through that lens, which is completely understandable," Markram added

Most recent first

South Africa: L W L L L

India: W W W W W

The T20I clash between South Africa and India on Friday carries extra significance due to their previous encounter. Their last meeting occurred in Barbados during the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where India secured an unlikely victory.

Despite South Africa being in a commanding position, needing just 30 runs from 30 deliveries with six wickets remaining, India's bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, orchestrated a remarkable turnaround to claim both the match and the championship, leaving the South African side devastated.

South Africa will feature seven players from their World Cup final squad for the first time since June's tournament. However, they'll be without Quinton de Kock, who's unavailable, and Kagiso Rabada, who's been given a break.

While Anrich Nortjé and Tabraiz Shamsi were eligible for selection, they weren't included in the squad.

Abhishek Sharma will partner with experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson at the top of the order, as Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal prepare for their departure to Australia for a five-match Test series. Samson, who notched up a century in the previous match against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, will look to maintain his form.

Tilak Varma will join the squad directly, despite his inconsistent performance in the Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2024, as Riyan Parag continues his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

The middle-order appears robust with Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh, all of whom displayed excellent form in their recent outings against Bangladesh.

Ramandeep Singh, recently retained by Kolkata Knight Riders, enters the series in good form. His impressive strike rate of 201.61 in KKR's IPL 2024 victory, combined with his abilities as a seamer and fielder, adds value to the squad. Despite his unbeaten 64 for India A against Afghanistan A in the Emerging Men's Asia Cup semi-final, the team couldn't progress to the final.

The bowling department will likely feature Varun Chakravarthy as the sole spinner in Durban, with Arshdeep Patel and Avesh Khan spearheading the pace attack.
Karnataka's Vijaykumar Vyshak stands a chance to earn his first cap as the third seamer in the playing eleven.

Based on AccuWeather's forecast, Durban will likely face thunderstorms during the match duration, with a 46% probability of rainfall at 8:30 PM IST.

The forecast indicates complete cloud cover and temperatures hovering around 23 degrees celsius.

The rainfall probability increases to 51% by 9:30 PM IST, whilst maintaining 100% cloud cover.

The forecast shows varying rain probabilities throughout the evening, with a slight decrease to 43% at 10:30 PM IST, before rising again to 51% at 11:30 PM IST, indicating potential weather disruptions throughout the fixture.

Weather in Durban:

Cloudy with a thunderstorm in parts of the area

Temp:

21 degree

Cloud Cover:

100 %

Humidity:

84%

India are set to face South Africa in a four-match Twenty20 International series, and all eyes will be on captain Suryakumar Yadav, who is approaching a significant milestone in his career.


Suryakumar currently ranks third among Indian batters with the most runs against South Africa in T20Is.

Surya, with 346 runs in 7 T20Is at an impressive average of 57.66, needs just 84 more runs to surpass Rohit Sharma's record and become the highest-scoring Indian batter against South Africa in T20Is.

India's Test and ODI captain Rohit, who led India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup earlier this year, tops the list with 429 runs at an average of 26.81 in 18 T20I matches against South Africa.

India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav welcomed the two uncapped players, all-rounder Ramandeep Singh and seamer Vijaykumar Vyshak following their maiden call-up for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa.

The Proteas will be facing India in a T20 game for the first time after their defeat against Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup 2024 final on June 29.

"Hi friends, today we've brought for you two special recipes for a cricket ground. The first one is, a fast bowler and the second is a fierce batter. So let's first make a great fast bowler. To make a fast bowler you need agility, stamina, courage, power and a lot of spice of speed. So without this concoction can you make a fast bowler? No, the faster, the better. Now let's add a tempering of bravery and a mixture of heart and mind. Now cook fitness and patience on low flame then only you will get the fun and our fast bowler is ready," said Suryakumar in a video posted by the BCCI.

"Now is the time to make a fierce batter and for this, we need patience, self-confidence and a cunning mind. Let's sprinkle the salt of patience first, the spice of footwork and the sauce of concentration. When there will be coordination between the bat and feet, then only the batter will become great. Then add the powder of self-confidence and timing. In cricket and life, when the timing's right then everything's fine. In the end, as per taste, cunningness. So friends, out fast bowler and batter are ready. Add the two in the oven of training and see their magic unfold on the field," the right-hand batter added.

Ramandeep Singh, rewarded for his solid performances with Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2024 IPL season and his impressive showing at the Emerging Teams Asia Cup, made to the squad as a promising all-rounder addition.

Vyshak featured in four matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 for franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). In four matches, he took four wickets and turned the matches in his team's favour with his game-changing spells.

Ahead of the first T20I against South Africa at Durban, Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav expressed faith in abilities of opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is missing from the series squad, and said that his time will come soon.

The young Indian side aims to extend their T20I dominance as they kick off their South African tour, which features four T20Is, with the first match in Durban on Friday. Yadav's remarks come after India's 0-3 Test series loss to New Zealand at home, their first loss at home in a Test series in 12 years and first-ever whitewash in a Test series of three-match or more.

Ruturaj is currently playing in the India A's two-match series against Australia A in Australia, where he has not made an impact as a batter.

"Ruturaj is a fantastic player. He has been fantastic and consistent across all formats he plays...There are a lot of players who have been performing well even before him, so there is a routine or process that I think that the management has come up with, so it is important to follow that. He has been performing consistently well, so I believe his time will come soon," Suryakumar Yadav said in the pre-match press conference.

In 23 T20Is and 20 innings, Ruturaj has scored 633 runs at an average of 39.56, with a strike rate of 143.53, with a century and four fifties. His best score is 123*. Despite his fine knocks, he has not been selected for the T20I series against Bangladesh and South Africa.

Ahead of the first T20I against South Africa in Durban, Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav said he is not overly concerned about his chances of rejoining the Indian Test squad, noting that if it's meant to happen, it will.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar remarked, "When the time comes, I will make a Test comeback. I am playing in all domestic tournaments, be it red-ball or white-ball. I don't miss any games. If a Test comeback is meant to happen, it will."

Although a regular in India's white-ball setup, Suryakumar has played only one Test match - against Australia in 2023, scoring eight runs in his sole innings.

In the same year, he was named as a reserve player in the ICC World Test Championship Final squad.

In 84 first-class games, Suryakumar has accumulated 5,656 runs at an average of 42.84, with 14 centuries and 29 fifties across 140 innings, his highest score being 200.

Ahead of the first T20I match of the series against India, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram said the Proteas always look forward to a series against the Men in Blue.

The Proteas will be facing India in a T20 game for the first time after their defeat against Men in Blue in the T20 World Cup 2024 final on June 29.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Markram said that it will be an interesting series since they will be playing in front of home fans. He added that the Proteas won't be taking the first T20I game as the rematch of the T20 World Cup 2024 final.

"It's the same countries I guess...but personnel has changed for both teams. It's always an exciting series when you play against India and especially when you play them at home. It's a series we have always looked forward to. We have not addressed anything about it being a rematch or things like that. Obviously, a lot of talk and promotions have happened through that lens, which is completely understandable," Markram said.

India's T20I Squad:

Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, Yash Dayal.

South Africa T20I squad:

Aiden Markram (C), Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Patrick Kruger, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Mihlali Mpongwana, Nqaba Peter, Ryan Rickelton, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla (3rd and 4th T20Is), and Tristan Stubbs.

Meanwhile, Aiden Markram said that it will be an interesting series since they will be playing in front of home fans. He added that the Proteas won't be taking the first T20I game as the rematch of the T20 World Cup 2024 final.

"It's the same countries I guess...but personnel has changed for both teams. It's always an exciting series when you play against India and especially when you play them at home. It's a series we have always looked forward to. We have not addressed anything about it being a rematch or things like that. Obviously, a lot of talk and promotions have happened through that lens, which is completely understandable," Markram said.