In a thrilling 2nd T20I encounter between India and South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban, Varun Chakravarthy delivered a stunning performance with the ball as he dismissed both Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller in the same over, The Indian spinner’s impressive spell of 5/25 in four overs was however the only shinning light in India’s abysmal performance.
Varun Chakravarthy’s double strike: A spellbinding display of spin bowling
Chakravarthy’s two wickets in the 12th over underscored his skill, control, and tactical brilliance, making it a turning point in the game. These dismissals, back-to-back, showed how Varun’s blend of accuracy and clever bowling choices could dismantle even seasoned batters.
12.1 – Heinrich Klaasen falls prey to a tempting tossed-up delivery
Facing a precarious situation, Klaasen attempted to up the scoring rate. Varun, sensing Klaasen’s intent, tossed the ball up just enough to entice him into an aggressive shot. Klaasen went for it, hoping to clear the long-off boundary, but the delivery subtly deceived him by dipping slightly and lacking the pace needed for a clean strike. The ball went high rather than far, resulting in a straightforward catch for Rinku Singh at long-off. This gave Varun his fourth wicket, and his control over the pace and flight forced the error from Klaasen, who departed for a mere 2 runs.
12.2 – David Miller bowled by a dream delivery
With Klaasen’s dismissal still fresh, Miller walked in, knowing he needed to stabilize the innings. Varun, confident after his previous wicket, switched to bowling around the wicket, giving the left-hander a different angle to contend with. He delivered a perfectly executed ball that drifted in toward Miller before straightening upon landing. Expecting the ball to continue on its inward trajectory, Miller was slightly late on his defense, only for the delivery to beat the outside edge of his bat. As the ball knocked over the off-stump, Miller knew he was done for – his expression said it all. The moment he missed the ball, he realized there was no escape. He walked back with a duck, and Varun celebrated his maiden five-wicket haul.
Here’s the video:
A maiden 5 wicket haul for India’s new spin sensation! 😍
Take a bow, Varun Chakaravarthy 🙌
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Also READ: SA vs IND: Fans brutally troll Abhishek Sharma for his flop show with the bat in the 2nd T20I
South Africa clinch a narrow victory in a low-scoring thriller
In the game, South Africa edged out India by three wickets with six balls to spare, chasing down a modest target of 125. Despite Chakravarthy’s incredible five-wicket haul, South Africa managed to hold their nerve to seal the win. After being put in to bat, India lost early wickets, with captain Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson falling cheaply. Hardik Pandya played a measured innings of 39* off 45 balls, supported by Axar Patel’s 27, but the South African bowlers kept things tight, with Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee each taking a wicket. India finished at 124/6 in their 20 overs, struggling to find momentum on a tricky pitch.
In response, South Africa also found runs hard to come by. Chakravarthy spun a web, claiming five wickets and wreaking havoc in the middle overs. He dismissed key players, including Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram and Miller, leaving South Africa at a precarious 66/6. With the game in the balance, Tristan Stubbs anchored the chase with a composed 47* off 41 balls. He was supported by Gerald Coetzee, who played a quick 19* off nine deliveries, helping South Africa reach the target in the 19th over. Stubbs’ calm under pressure earned him the Player of the Match award as South Africa clinched the series lead with one game remaining.