India aim to seal the deal in 2nd T20 International against South Africa

Centurion, Feb 21: After a comprehensive victory in the first Twenty20 International, India will aim to seal the three-match series when they take on South Africa in the second match here at the SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

In the first game, a brilliant all-round show helped visitors beat hosts South Africa by 28 runs at the New Wanderers Stadium. Put in to bat, Shikhar Dhawan (72) hammered the South African bowlers all around the park and helped India post a massive 203/5 before pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (5/24) wreaked havoc in the South African batting line-up to take a crucial 1-0 lead.

The Virat Kohli-led India will hope to repeat the performance but with middle-order batsmen also playing their part this time. In the last match, Manish Pandey, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya failed to provide the expected final flourish. Pandey struggled to score big, scoring 29 not out in 27 deliveries. It will be interesting to see whether the Karnataka right-hander gets another chance.

Bolstered by terrific spell by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who was adjudged the Man of the Match, India will hope to create havoc once again to seal the issue.

In the batting department, alongside skipper Kohli, batsmen Rohit Sharma, Dhawan, Dhoni and Pandya will look to make the most of their capabilities this time also.

Batsman Suresh Raina, who made a comeback in the T20Is will act as an vital cog in the middle-order and will look to prove his mettle after his seven balls 15 runs in the first match.

The bowling department, which looked lethal with wrist-spinning duo Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, will try to make a mark in the shortest format.

Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will only add depth to the formidable Indian bowling line-up.

However, the Proteas, led by Jean-Pau Duminy, in the absence of Faf du Plessis, will look to hit back at India in the second game, especially after a 1-5 thrashing in the One-Day Internationals (ODIs).

Reeza Hendricks was the only one who defied the Indian bowling in the first innings. But middle-order batsman David Miller and Chris Morris, who failed to click in the first match, have to pull up their socks this time to support the lower order which failed drastically. Expectations will be high on Heinrich Klaasen and Farhaan Behardien.

The bowling department, featuring Andile Phehlukwayo, Dane Paterson, Morris along with chinaman Tabraiz Shamsi will have to come up with something special in order to get rid of the flamboyant Indian batsmen.

Squads:

India squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Shardul Thakur.

South Africa: Jean-Paul Duminy (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Junior Dala, AB de Villiers, Reeza Hendricks, Christiaan Jonker, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Chris Morris, Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jon-Jon Smuts.

(IANS)