Right then, the summit clash is nicely poised at the halfway mark.
Keshav Maharaj is in for a chat. He says that he was trying to use the surface and the breeze. Adds that the surface was slow to begin with but has gotten better now. Reckons that the catching and the outfielding was superb. Mentions that the boys are ready to go and hopefully, they can grab it with both hands.
As for South Africa, the move to start with spin from one end paid dividends as Keshav Maharaj struck twice in his opening over. Kagiso Rabada soon got into the act, resulting in the Powerplay belonging to South Africa. In the middle phase, South Africa allowed a partnership to build as through Axar Patel, India counter-punched. Maharaj, Rabada, Shamsi and Nortje bowled well in that middle phase but Marco Jansen was all over the place with his lines and lengths. Neither could Jansen keep the runs in check towards the death but Nortje exhibited brilliant death bowling skills to keep India under 180.
Anrich Nortje closes the innings out with a wicket but India managed to score 42 runs off the last 3 overs to end up with 176 on the board. Given that they were three down inside the Powerplay, India will take this total. Through Virat Kohli’s three boundaries off Marco Jansen, the Men in Blue got going straight away. Though not much went their way in the next 5 overs of the Powerplay, losing 3 wickets. Virat Kohli and Axar Patel then got together to steady the ship. Sent into to take the spinners on, Axar performed the role with aplomb while Kohli dealt in ones and twos. The 72-run stand allowed India to get back into the contest and after Axar fell, Kohli took matters into his own hands. Having slowed down in the middle phase, Kohli pressed on the accelerator towards the back end for a strong Indian finish.
19.6 overs (0 Run)
OUT! CAUGHT! Anrich Nortje finishes off a more than decent final over and manages to keep India under 180 runs. Nortje steams in and serves a quick bumper over the off stump. Ravindra Jadeja looks to take it on but is rushed into the shot and ends up scoffing it off the top edge. The ball falls well in front of mid off but Keshav Maharaj from extra cover races to the ball and dives in to complete the catch. India finish with 176/7 on the board!
19.5 overs (2 Runs)
Short of a length and outside off, Ravindra Jadeja reaches out and slashes it up and over backward point for a couple of runs.
Ravindra Jadeja walks in with 2 balls left in the Indian innings.
19.4 overs (0 Run)
OUT! CAUGHT! Good catch in the deep from David Miller as that ball was traveling. This is bowled full and on off and middle, Shivam Dube hangs back in the crease again and looks to hammer it over long off but hits it flat and just to the left of Miller who hangs on to the catch. Dube departs after a decent cameo.
19.3 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! That went like a tracer bullet! Anrich Nortje looks to repeat the last delivery but misses his mark and serves it in the slot. Shivam Dube stays deep and muscles it straight back past the bowler for a boundary.
19.2 overs (1 Run)
Top-drawer stuff from Anrich Nortje. Nails the yorker on middle stump, Hardik Pandya can only manage to dig it to mid off for a single.
19.1 overs (1 Run)
Heaved away into the leg side but just for a single. Pitched up on middle and leg stump, Shivam Dube clears the front leg and whips it without much timing to the left of deep mid-wicket for one.
19.1 overs (1 Run)
WIDE! Wayward to begin with from Anrich Nortje. Full and wide but gets it a bit too wide of the tramline and it is left alone for a wide.
Anrich Nortje will bowl the last over. He has conceded just 17 runs from his 3 overs. 33 runs have come off the last 2 overs for India. Can Nortje keep India under 180?
18.6 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Streaky but will do nicely for Hardik Pandya and India. A well-directed bumper from Janse, at helmet height and around off, Pandya gets hurried on while looking to pull and gets a top edge that flies over the keeper’s head and trickles into the fence.
Hardik Pandya comes out at number 7.
18.5 overs (0 Run)
OUT! CAUGHT! Straight to the man and some respite for Marco Jansen as he does get the prized wicket. Jansen uses his height well and bowls it just short of a length over the stumps, Virat Kohli looks to take on the pull but gets it well high on the bat and the ball goes straight down the throat of Kagiso Rabada at long on and he makes no mistake. End of a fine knock from Kohli and he gets a standing ovation from the dugout.
18.4 overs (6 Runs)
SIX! Glorious from Virat Kohli and what a knock this is turning out to be. Length ball, right in the slot around off and middle stump, Kohli clears the front leg and smokes the ball in epic fashion over cow corner for a monster hit. New ball, please!
18.3 overs (2 Runs)
Pitched up a bit and around off stump, Virat Kohli looks to smash it straight back but miscues it to the right of long off for a couple of runs.
18.2 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Easy pickings for Virat Kohli and Marco Jansen is having flashbacks of that game against India in the ODI World Cup. A juicy full toss on the leg stump, Virat Kohli whips it off his pads and gets it behind backward square leg for a boundary.
18.1 overs (0 Run)
Really well bowled! A slower one, into the pitch and it is the cutter that goes away from the right-hander. Virat Kohli looks to fetch and pull but is beaten all ends up.
18.1 overs (1 Run)
An appeal for caught behind but instead, Marco Jansen has overstepped, drama out in the middle. Marco Jansen bowls it full and wide outside off, Virat Kohli looks to jam it out but misses and gets beaten on the outside edge. Replays show that there was no edge on it and it is a big no ball from Jansen as well. Free Hit coming up…
Marco Jansen goes up in appeal for caught behind as does Quinton de Kock. Both think they have heard something and Aiden Markram takes the review. Oh hang on, the third umpire informs the on-field umpire that Marco Jansen has overstepped and it is a NO BALL.
17.6 overs (1 Run)
Much better finish to the over from Kagiso Rabada but India still get 16 off it. Full and straight in the blockhole, Virat Kohli hangs back and jams the ball down to long on for one.
17.5 overs (1 Run)
Back of a length and dug in outside off stump, Shivam Dube extends his arms and flays it away wide of deep third for a single.
17.5 overs (1 Run)
WIDE! Oh, that has slipped right out of Rabada’s hand! Goes for the wide yorker but ends up serving a juicy full toss almost beyond the cut strip outside the off stump. Dube leaves it alone for a wide.
17.4 overs (1 Run)
Short of a length and angled in at the hips, Virat Kohli tucks it away off the pads through mid-wicket and picks up a single.
17.3 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Relentless from King Kohli now. Too short and too straight from Kagiso Rabada, Virat Kohli plays it late and controls the pull well to find the vacant fence at long leg. 12 already off the over, still 3 balls to go.
17.2 overs (2 Runs)
Excellent running! Spears in a yorker at the toes, Virat Kohli hangs well deep in the crease and squeezes the ball away in front of square on the leg side for a couple of runs.
17.1 overs (6 Runs)
SIX! Virat Kohli is in the zone now! Hard length on off and middle stump, Kohli stays put and just clears the front leg before whacking the ball away nonchalantly and a long way over long on for a biggie
16.6 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Slammed away by Shivam Dube! Short of a length and offering some width outside the off stump, Dube backs away and cuts the ball powerfully and well behind point for a boundary.
16.5 overs (1 Run)
FIFTY up for Virat Kohli! Banged in well short and over the stumps, Kohli pulls it firmly and towards deep square leg for a single and brings up his first half-century of the tournament. He will now be looking to shift gears.
16.4 overs (0 Run)
Gets the yorker in, around off, at 147 kph, Virat Kohli jams it out off the toe end of the bat towards backward point.
16.3 overs (1 Run)
Dug into the deck and over the stumps, Shivam Dube flat bats it with an open stance and right back past the bowler for a single.
16.2 overs (1 Run)
Good change of pace from Anrich Nortje as he bowls a slower bumper and directs it nicely at the body. Virat Kohli gets inside the line and just gets some bat on it, taking the ball wide of the diving keeper for a single.
16.1 overs (1 Run)
Comes from around the stumps to the left-hander and bowls it back of a length outside off, Shivam Dube chops the attempted cut shot down towards backward point for a run.
15.6 overs (1 Run)
Pushed through flatter on off stump, Shivam Dube rocks back and forces the ball down to long off for a single.
15.5 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Raw power from Shivam Dube! Tabraiz Shamsi tries to attack the pads here but Dube latches onto it in a flash and swats it away flat and hard in front of square on the leg side for a boundary.
15.4 overs (1 Run)
This is tossed up on middle and leg stump, Virat Kohli gets down on one knee and slogs it flat and on the bounce to deep mid-wicket for one more.
15.3 overs (1 Run)
Flatter one around off stump, dabbed away off the outside edge of the bat to short third for a run.
15.2 overs (0 Run)
Beauty! Tossed up on a nagging length and on off stump, the ball grips and turns away sharply with some extra bounce. Shivam Dube is beaten all ends up.
15.1 overs (1 Run)
Floated up on the pads and turning in, Virat Kohli flicks it past square leg for a single.
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