Varun Chakravarthy’s Maiden 5-Wicket Haul Not Enough as South Africa Levels T20I Series

Mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy stunned everyone when he made a sensational outing on November 10 in the second T20I of India vs South Africa. Chakravarthy took his first career 5-wicket haul in the match.

However, because of the sensational display, India could not defend a woefully low total of 124 runs and let South Africa win by three wickets to level the four-match T20I series 1-1. For India, bowlers showed a lot of fight on a St George’s Park track but South Africa managed to make it in the end in a nail-biting finish.

Varun Chakravarthy Shines in Middle Overs

Varun Chakravarthy’s brilliant bowling change altered the course of the game for South Africa during their chase. The introduction of Chakravarthy in middle overs has always been challenging for the opposition batters to decipher as he chills around the box and brings the ball back in without a deviation from his lines and lengths.

In conditions favoring fast bowlers, Chakravarthy suddenly found his rhythm and sent top-order South African batters in form, Aiden Markram and Reeza Hendricks, back early in their innings. His accuracy and variation in spin kept the South African top order on its toes, testing the limits of the batsmen’s skill and making it difficult for them to settle and play freely.

Key Dismissals Bring India Back into the Match

This 5-wicket haul for Chakravarthy was responsible for keeping hope alive in the minds of Indians, as he continued to give the crucial blows.

Till it went too late in the final over of his spell, South Africa’s chase went much tougher after he had Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller. Chakravarthy bowled out Markram, Hendricks, Jansen, and Miller, while Klaasen fell to a lofted shot down the ground to long-off where Rinku Singh held onto. This spell was a brilliant display of the ability to sway even the toughest of conditions in his favor.

South Africa Levels the Series with Gritty Batting

Though India’s bowlers did everything possible to defend a low total, South Africa chased down the target and won by three wickets. Indian batting had performed miserably on a tough pitch where runs seemed very hard to come.

Though they had pulled off the first match at Kingsmead, Durban still the team went short on this second test. This lead ultimately prevented India from getting an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series and also from equating their longest winning streak in T20Is, that is, 12 games.

The fightback from South Africa kept them alive in the series, with the remaining matches being more thrilling. They remained composed under pressure, and finally, the Proteas team was able to strike back with a win to level the series with two more games left to decide.

India Eyes Redemption in the Third T20I

With the series now perfectly poised, India will be looking to bounce back in the penultimate match on November 13 at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Suryakumar Yadav and his men will look to regroup and address the batting issues that have been a challenge in this series.

With Chakravarthy’s performance showing that Indian bowling has the talent to put South Africa on the back foot, provided adequate support from the batters, the series is at an interesting juncture.

Conclusion

For the cricketing enthusiasts who want to keep themselves updated with the remaining T20I matches and would like to cheer for India in the hope of clawing back into the series, there’s the perfect platform for them to watch live cricket for free on Winexch, Such services help cricket fans to follow a series of live matches and cheer up their teams during the thrilling phases of the series.

FAQ

Q. How has Varun Chakravarthy fared in the second T20I?

A. Varun Chakravarthy took his first 5-wicket haul in the T20I cricket in the second match of the series, producing an outstanding spell that kept India in the game.

Q. Some key South African batters sent back by Chakravarthy

A. Varun Chakravarthy sent back Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Jansen, and David Miller while Klaasen’s body went to long-off, an example of the performance of Chakravarthy in the middle overs.

Q. Why was India not able to defend a total of 124?

A. The batting order did not allow India to post a fighting total, and with Varun Chakravarthy’s 5-wicket haul, South Africa chased down the target with three wickets in hand.

Q. What is the series score after the second T20I?

A. The two teams are now level at 1-1 and have two more games left.

Q. Where can fans watch the India vs. South Africa T20I series?

A. Cricket lovers can catch live cricket free on streaming platforms like Winexch, known as the “godfather of cricket”, where fans get access to live games and highlights throughout the series.