India's batting heroics go in vain as SA chases down 212

What probably could have been a night of unreserved scribbling in the record books would soon turn into a nightmare as the ghosts of Miller and Rassie van der Dussen would haunt India in the series opener. In a high-scoring thriller, the Indian bowlers would eventually fall short against the might of the visiting batters, especially the aforementioned duo who would scale down the titanic total.

Put into bat first, the Indian openers got off to a flyer as Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan rode on a spoonful of fortune to come out in their most intimidating avatars. Despite the early fall of Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer picked up the momentum and turned it into a full-blown five-star showdown for the Indians.

Kishan smashed a mind-boggling 76 from just 48 balls before his miscued effort against Maharaj was grabbed in the deep by Tristan Stubbs. Despite the fall of Kishan, the Indians had no intention of slowing down whatsoever and what followed from thereon was classic striking from a famed Indian batting order. What started off as an Ishan Kishan classic would eventually culminate into a Hardik Pandya blitzkrieg with India amassing their highest ever score against South Africa in T20I cricket.

With a flat track on offer, it was going to be anything but easy for the Indian bowlers to keep the dynamic Africans in check. Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave them the all-important breakthrough of the South African captain, Temba Bavuma. Dwaine Pretorius would chime in with an early tone-setter that sprinkled from his 13-ball-29.

Despite India clawing their way back in the middle that would also see the fall of de Kock and Pretorius in quick succession, opening up the gates for an Indian turnaround, Miller’s arrival in the middle would slam it shut. If Miller’s early rampage provided the latch, Rassie’s late carnage sealed the deal for the visitors.

What seemed like a game well in control of the Indians in the middle overs, would completely spin out in Africa’s favour in the end. Van der Dussen’s dropped catch would come back to bite India hard and all of the Indian bowlers would take a hammering against the mighty African duo.

With the first game done and dusted, it is time for India to turn their focus to the following contest at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack to level the series on Sunday.