Watch: Wayne Parnell castles Hardik Pandya with a cracking delivery

After having won the first T20I by seven wickets on Thursday, South Africa came out with great positivity and aggression at the Indian batters on a tricky Cuttack surface in the second T20I on Sunday, June 12. Each of the four seamers and left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj had a wicket by the 14th over of the innings, with half the Indian side back to the pavilion with the team yet to cross 100.

Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for a single in the first over, slicing one to Maharaj at backward point off Kagiso Rabada to help him get his 50th T20I wicket.

Ishan Kishan (34 off 21) threatened to take the game away form the Proteas, striking two fours and three sixes during his stay, which was ended by a sharp bouncer from Anrich Nortje. The left-hander mistimed the pull straight through to deep square-leg.

Skipper Rishabh Pant fell trying to take on Maharaj on the first ball of his spell - his mistimed hoick pouched safely by Rassie van der Dussen at the sweeper cover. South Africa managed to keep India  under sustained pressure with their consistent display.

Arguably, the best ball of the lot was delivered by Wayne Parnell to Hardik Pandya, ending the latter’s 12-ball 9 struggle. Parnell operated from round the wicket to the right-hander in the 13th over of the innings, and the fourth ball was landed on a good length, angling into the batter. Hardik was comprehensively beaten by the inward movement and the lack of bounce, as the ball skidded through an attempted cut to see his leg stump rattled.

Watch the dismissal here

 

Dwaine Pretorios had a well set Shreyas Iyer (40 off 35) caught behind in the very next over, to leave India at 98/5 in the 14th over. Axar Patel was clean bowled by Nortje for 10 three overs later.

India were 112/6 from 17 overs at the time of writing, with Dinesh Karthik joined by Harshal Patel at the crease.