Reeza Hendricks’ onslaught takes South Africa to win in rain-reduced second T20I | Cricket News

There is something about targets readjusted rain that unlocks the free-spiritedness in batsmen. A target of 152 in 15 overs, after rain stopped India on 180/7 in 19.3 overs, the highest-ever total in T20Is at St George’s Park, seemed daunting. But South Africa overhauled the target with seven balls to spare for the loss of five wickets, albeit with a late wobble after a breezy start, but emanating a joie de vivre reminiscent of their approach in the recent 50-over World Cup.
Little doubt that the conditions are often stacked against teams that are defending a total in a rain-reduced match. A nothing-to-lose spirit seizes the batsmen, the ball gets slippery due to the wet outfield, the pitch becomes slightly quicker, aiding stroke-play. It hampered India that they were without the electric Jasprit Bumrah and the marvellous Mohammed Shami. Instead were Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh. The latter has lost some of his sharpness and control; the former, for all his wealth of knowledge in Tests, ODIs and IPL, was playing just his ninth T20I game. Neither had any answer to the onslaught of Matthew Breetzke and Reeza Hendricks, who raced away to 42 runs in three overs, before Breetzke ran himself out.

A positive start for South Africa in their chase of 152 in 15 overs 😮
Can #TeamIndia find the early breakthrough?
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From the start, Hendricks was in a mood to rampage. Two of his three boundaries in the first over were off the edge, the other a thunderbolt drive through mid-off. The 14-run over froze India. Fear swept through; panic kicked in. The visiting team, with an inexperienced core, suddenly turned desperate, missing the calmness that comes with experience. Breetzke, a strapping 25-year-old, would then muscle Arshdeep for a four and six. The four evaded a leaping extra-cover fielder, but was struck with such power that it was always going to beat him. He then heaved the left-armer over fine-leg the next ball. Fear became dread as Hendricks wrapped up the over with another six. Arshdeep stared hollowly into the skies after being pillaged for 24 runs.
Skipper Surykumar Yadav responded introducing Ravindra Jadeja, not a regular new-ball operator but forced the circumstances to take the extreme step. He understandably struggled to grip the ball, due to its wetness and newness. But a rare boundary-less over passed , besides the departure of Breetzke, after a puerile confusion which had the dismissed batsman cursing and banging his head in disappointment.
No respite
But that would not stop the barrage of boundaries. Aiden Markram sustained the impetus and stated his intentions with a hat-trick of fours off Mukesh Kumar. None of Kumar’s deliveries were horrendous. But the South Africa captain manufactured boundaries. The first was a ferocious stroke that he fetched from outside off-stump. The ball was more back-of-length than short, but he required just that modicum of width to latch on. He imperiously lofted the next ball over mid-on, knowing fully that Kumar would strike a fuller length. Kumar’s next ball was shorter but Markram went quickly across to laser it between cover point and extra cover.
The introduction of Kuldeep Yadav was not too far away. But he could not reproduce the turn his South Africa counterpart Tabraiz Shamsi (who conceded just a four in the glut of boundaries) had managed in India’s innings, when the surface was much drier. Hendricks, preferring to stay on the back-foot, slapped him for a pair of fours. A powerful and fearless batsman, he is predominantly a back-foot player who is strong square as well as down the ground. The quicker nature of the pitch meant that even the spinners skidded the ball, but he would still hang on the back-foot, relying on his hands and eyes to avert danger.

The 34-year-old, pitted for greatness from his U-19 days, has seldom enjoyed a sustained run in the side. But he seems to be making up for lost time, striking a valuable 49 off 27 balls. The departure of Hendricks and Markram in the space of eight balls sparked faint hope of an India comeback. The hosts would lose two more wickets, rather carelessly, of David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen, but South Africa clung on, and the often-criticised Andile Phehlukwayo sewed up the game, tonking Jadeja over deep square leg.