India’s pace attack made early inroads as they reduced South Africa national cricket team to 31 for three in five overs in their Super Eights clash on Sunday.
After losing the toss and being asked to bowl, India struck at regular intervals in the Powerplay, with Jasprit Bumrah picking up two wickets in successive overs and Arshdeep Singh accounting for one.
Bumrah gave India the first breakthrough by dismissing Quinton de Kock for 6. After conceding a boundary off a full toss, Bumrah responded with a back-of-a-length delivery outside off that jagged back sharply.
De Kock swung across the line and lost his leg bail. In the following over, Arshdeep removed South Africa captain Aiden Markram for 4.
Bowling a hard length just outside off, he extracted slight hold from the surface. Markram attempted a lofted stroke but mistimed it, and Hardik Pandya completed the catch at mid-off.
Bumrah struck again to dismiss Ryan Rickelton for 7. The pacer used a slower ball after Rickelton had earlier hit Arshdeep for a six, and the batter was deceived by the change of pace.
South Africa, last edition’s finalists, had opted to bat and began cautiously, scoring four runs in the opening over before India’s pacers applied pressure.
