David Miller’s swashbuckling hundred went in vain as South Africa went down by 16 runs against India in the second T20 international at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday.
After being asked to bat first by South Africa skipper, openers KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma got India off to a fantastic start. The duo added 96 runs for the opening stand before Rohit mistimed a slog sweep off Keshav Maharaj to Stubbs at deep midwicket for 43.
Rahul’s fine innings of 57 ended when he was trapped leg before wicket by Maharaj as he missed a sweep.
The pair of Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli featured in a 102 run stand for the third wicket before a mix up with Kohli led to Suryakumar’s dismissal for a breezy 61. His knock came off 22 balls with 5 fours and 5 sixes.
Dinesh Karthik (17)* came in and smashed 2 sixes and a boundary to take the hosts to a mammoth score of 237/3 in their allotted 20 overs.
Keshav Maharaj was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/23.
Chasing 238, South Africa started disastrously by losing wickets of skipper Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw in the second over to Arshdeep Singh.
After a floodlight failure halted play, Quinton De Kock and Aiden Markram steadied the ship with a 46 run stand for the third wicket before Axar Patel dismissed the dangerous Markram bowled, while attempting an inside out drive for 33.
David Miller along with Quinton De Kock featured in a sensational unbeaten 174 run stand for the fourth wicket. The duo took the game to the final over but fell 16 run short of the target.
Miller remained unbeaten on 106 off just 47 balls with 8 fours and 7 sixes, while De Kock was not out on 69.
With this win, The Men in Blue clinched the three match series 2-0.