South Africa Level Series After India’s Batting Disaster, De Kock Leads the Charge

De Kock Blitz Hands South Africa Series-Levelling Win as India Falter.

Quinton de Kock’s explosive 90 and India’s series of missteps handed South Africa a 51-run victory in the second T20I at Mullanpur on Thursday, leveling the five-match series 1-1.

The day began with celebrations, as Mullanpur hosted its first international match and stands were unveiled in honor of Yuvraj Singh and Harmanpreet Kaur. But the mood quickly soured as India’s decision to bowl first backfired on a pitch known for its unpredictability.

After two cautious overs, de Kock tore through India’s bowling, striking 90 off 46 balls with five fours and seven sixes before being caught by Jitesh Sharma. Donovan Ferreira and David Miller added late fireworks, guiding South Africa to 213/4. For India, only Varun Chakravarthy made an impact, taking the key wicket of Reeza Hendricks with his first ball. The rest of the bowling attack, including Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, leaked 99 runs, struggling with control and rhythm.

India’s chase started disastrously. Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck, and the surprising promotion of Axar Patel to No.3 failed to stabilize the innings. Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav offered little resistance, leaving Tilak Varma to score a valiant 62. However, with no support at the other end, India crumbled to 162 all out, as South Africa’s Baartman and Ngidi finished the job.

The match highlighted India’s over-experimentation, from batting order changes to abandoning the left-right combination. With the T20 World Cup approaching, the loss underscores the need for smarter strategy and plan B execution.

South Africa’s disciplined bowling and de Kock’s brilliance turned the contest around, leaving India to regroup for the third T20I in a series that now hangs in the balance.