Heinrich Klaasen turned out to be an unlikely hero with a career-best 81 as South Africa once again outwitted India by four wickets on a tricky pitch to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series in Cuttack on Sunday.
On a two-paced track where most of the batters struggled, Klaasen made it look ridiculously easy as he smashed seven fours and five towering sixes in his 46-ball knock to help his team knock off a target of 149 with 10 balls to spare.
The wicketkeeper-batter, who was included into the side as a forced change for injured Quinton de Kock, completed his fourth T20I fifty in 32 balls before he smashed three sixes off Yuzvendra Chahal to virtually seal the chase.
Please click on the images below for a better look.
IMAGE: Heinrich Klaasen (81) powered South Africa to a four-wicket win over India. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Klaasen brought up his fourth T20 half-century in just 32 balls, his second against India. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Yuzvendra Chahal sent the South African skipper Temba Bavuma back to the pavilion for 35 of 30 balls. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Bhuvneshwar Kumar sent a struggling Rassie van der Dussen back to the pavilion for 1 of 7 balls after dislodging his off stump.Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Bhuvneshwar Kumar handed India some early momentum by dismissing opener Reeza Hendricks for just four in the first over of the match. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Dinesh Karthik smashed 31 runs off 21 balls and took India's total to 148/6. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Hardik Pandya was bowled by Wayne Parnell. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Dwaine Pretorius also showed Shreyas, the way to the dugout after he scored 40 runs off 35 balls with India's score at 98/5. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Rishabh Pant, who fell prey to Keshav Maharaj's spell after scoring five runs, in the 10th over, leaving India's total at 68/3. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: The Proteas got another breakthrough in the 7th over, when Ishan Kishan was caught by Rassie Van der Dussen on Anrich Nortje's delivery and departed after scoring 34 off 21 balls. Photograph: BCCI
IMAGE: Kagiso Rabada sending Ruturaj Gaikwad back to the dugout on the fifth delivery of the innings, with only three runs on the board. Photograph: BCCI
