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South Africa are ahead in the five-match T20I series by 1-0.
South Africa won the first T20I in the five-match series against hosts India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on June 9 (Thursday). The Men in Blue are expected to come hard at the Proteas in the second game at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on June 12 (Sunday) and level the series.
In the absence of senior players such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, batter KL Rahul was named as the captain of the team for the series. But just before the start, Rahul was ruled out of the series due to a groin injury, and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant was handed the skipper duties with all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the deputy.
Things did not go as planned for Pant in his first match as the captain of India, as he said in the post-match interview that the execution from the bowling department was not right. In the second match, a few changes can be expected to be made in the Indian bowling lineup with pacers such as Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh knocking on the door.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma also said after the match that their bowling was a concern but did not want to be overly critical. He felt that the wicket got better to bat on in the second innings, which is why winning the toss might be decisive in the coming game as well.
Match details
Venue: Barabati Stadium, Cuttack
Date and Time: June 12, 7:00 PM IST
Telecast and Live Streaming: Star Sports Network, Disney+ Hotstar
Pitch Report
There have been only two T20I matches at Barabati Stadium so far, of which the average total is 113.75 with the highest total of 180 scored by India against Sri Lanka in 2017. South Africa won their only game on this ground in 2015 against India after bowling out the hosts for only 92 and chasing it in 17.2 overs. The wicket is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and bowl, unlike in the first game when it was dominated by the batters. The team winning the toss might have to bowl first.
Probable playing XI
India
Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel Harshal Patel, Umran Malik/Arsdheep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
South Africa
Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma (c), Dwaine Pretorius, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, Wayne Parnell, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje
Probable Top Performers
Probable best batter of the match
Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan, after a good run with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, scoring 418 runs at an average of 32.15 with three fifties, carried his form into the first T20I game against South Africa with a knock of 76 runs, which was the highest score in the game. He is expected to score more runs going forward with the kind of touch he is in.
Probable best bowler of the match
Yuzvendra Chahal
Yuzvendra Chahal is yet to make a mark in the series so far, having bowled only 2.1 overs in the first game. But the leg-spinner was the leading wicket-taker in the IPL 2022 with 27 wickets, including a five-wicket haul, with an economy rate of 7.75. He is expected to pick a few wickets on the tricky Cuttack surface against the Proteas.
Today’s Match Prediction: India to win the match
Disclaimer: This prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.
