Taken at long-on! That's the end as the players shake hands, Bavuma will not return. It was a fullish ball that was tossed up invitingly, it was lofted straight and the connection was not good enough. Long-on took it easily.
India vs South Africa, 4th T20I at Rajkot, IND v SA, Jun 17 2022 - Match Result
Thanks to a series-levelling win, the Bengaluru game will be a decider. The scarcity of 5-match bilaterals in T20s gives this series some sheen. Good performances have come from different players, there have been one-siders and close finishes. Let's hope the final game zigzags to an exciting end. We'll see you then. For now, it's goodbye from me, Ekanth, my fellow commentator, Deivarayan Muthu, and our scorer, Chandan Duorah.
Dinesh Karthik: POTM for 55 (27): Just feels good, I'm getting used to being interviewed with people I played with (he says as he speaks to Murali Kartik). I'm very secure in this set up. In the last game, things didn't go well but I felt safe after going back to the dressing room. I am thinking a bit better and am able to assess situations better. That comes from planning and experience. They bowled brilliantly up front, our openers could not get going. When I went in, Hardik told me to bide time. To execute things well is great. To go and be a local boy in Bengaluru, despite not representing RCB, is a thrill. The series is on the line which is great. Rahul Dravid has focused on what batters and bowlers need to do and not the results, the dressing room is secure and feels fuzzy which is good. That clarity and environment has helped.
Rishabh Pant: India Captain: We talked about execution and here are the results! We can talk about toss but whichever team plays better generally wins. Really happy with Hardik putting up a stand while DK went for the kill, that's when the bowlers felt the pressure. As an individual, there are points for improvement but am not too concerned.
Keshav Maharaj comes in on behalf of Temba Bavuma: We thought we got better in the back of the innings but our performance with the ball was bad up top. Maybe it was a lack of proactivity we need to address. We never got going with the bat, there were no foundational partnerships and their bowlers were good. DK played really well. I am bowling well, hope to continue. We expect it to be a cracker in Bengaluru.
Neil: "If Sun. match is a washout, and winner is determined by NRR, India should win the series after today's performance." Series is shared but anything apart from boundary count is fine.
Nithin: "Avesh vs DK for MVP ?" It's DK.
Jai: "Whats the weather forecast for Bengaluru on Sunday? Whats the scenario if there is a washout?" There's no point predicting Bengaluru's weather.
Shreyas HM: "South Africa have managed to get their highest and lowest team totals vs India in this series."
As Firdose notifies, 87 is SA's lowest T20I score.
Avesh Khan 4 for 18: I'm happy. It's my dad's birthday and I'd like to dedicate it to him. The plan was to bowl straight and stump-to-stump. After getting Rassie, I sent back fine leg. I followed Rishabh's word by going with the cutter after a hard length ball. A slower one foxed Maharaj. Our fielding and bowling are coming good and improving will be our aim for the next game. It's set up well and we'll give it 100%.
10:24 pm: The fireworks are on, so is Vande Matharam which the crowd enjoys as the players shake hands. While this was a clinical bowling performance, it was DK's innings that set it up. As an earlier commentor said, the innings underscored the difficulty of batting on this pitch. This innings never got going as wickets were frequent. Avesh Khan was the pick of the bowlers. Every other bowler was good on a tricky pitch.
Fullish ball on the stumps is pushed to the bowler
Length ball keeps low and beats the pull but it's just outside off. Close shave to off but no cigar.
Length ball over leg, turned to short fine leg
Good length just outside off, backs away and chops it late to point
Shiva: "SA batters are underscoring what a gem of an innings DK has played. "
Sam: "What is a wicker? A wicket on a yorker? :) " A rypo
Angles the bat on a length ball over off to guide it wide of sweeper cover for two
Another bumper, ducked under again. Ngidi smiles to indicate he expected that.
Back of length outside off, makes room and swings the bat across. Gets it to cover off the sticker
Bouncer over the stumps is ducked under to let go
Back of length outside off, carves it over wide mid-off, stopped in the outfield
Dabs a back of length ball outside off to third man
Maddy: "So dravid has the last laugh. Every non-performer in the first 2 games has come to the party and played match-winning knocks."
Nortje goes for the one-knee swipe but edges it to point. Chahal finally tossed it up as much as Pant and Shreyas were asking from behind. it was on the stumps, Nortje made room and heaved mightily but it went right up.
Length outside off, tries to guide it late but it spins away
Length ball down leg, the batter squares up to clip it across the line. Gets hit on the pad, falls in front.
Pant asks Chahal to toss it up and not mind risking a six.
Full ball outside off crashed straight. It went low to the right of the bowler who tried to snatch it but parried it to long-on.
Full on off, dead-batted in front.
Full outside off, leans and drives it through cover with a horizontal bat. The fielder runs to his right and stops it.
No Bavuma yet as Ngidi walks in. There has not been an update on him yet.
Balloons a pull to mid-on to offer Avesh his third wicket this over! It was a cutter into the pitch, Maharaj was making room and tried to heave it on the move. It hit the splice and went straight to the fielder.
Tennis ball bounce beats the keeper and goes to the fence. It was a back of length ball around fourth stump, Maharaj tried the cut. It went way over the bat and the Pant's head.
Taken by Gaikwad at deep-midwicket who ran to his right and took it with a slide. It was a short of length ball that was following Jansen, who looked unperturbed by the hit off the last ball as he swung across the line. It went up, the fielder ran a few metres, slid his wrist to ensure it did not pop out.
1W | ||||
2W | 1W | |||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot | |
Toss | South Africa, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2022 |
Player Of The Match | |
Series result | 5-match series level 2-2 |
Match number | T20I no. 1572 |
Match days | 17 June 2022 - night (20-over match) |
T20I debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |
Over 17 • SA 87/9