India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in their only T20 World Cup warm-up match at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, with Ishan Kishan smashing a rapid 53 off 20 balls to secure his top-order spot. The defending champions posted 241/5, powered by aggressive batting, before restricting South Africa to 211/7 using nine bowlers.
Match Summary
Ishan Kishan’s explosive half-century, featuring seven sixes and two fours, formed an 80-run opening stand with Abhishek Sharma (24 off 17, retired out). Tilak Varma scored 45 off 19, Suryakumar Yadav made 30 off 16, Axar Patel 35 off 23, and Hardik Pandya 30 off 10 to build the total. South Africa’s chase saw Ryan Rickelton’s 44 off 21, Jason Smith’s 35 off 23, and Tristan Stubbs’ unbeaten 45 off 21, but they fell short.
Key Performances
Arshdeep Singh took 1/29, while Abhishek Sharma claimed 2/32; Harshit Rana bowled just one over (0/16) before leaving the field. Aiden Markram retired out on 38; George Linde opened but scored a golden duck. Jasprit Bumrah did not play.
Tournament Implications
Kishan’s form, including a recent T20 ton against New Zealand, positions him to open with Abhishek against USA on February 7 at Wankhede, amid Sanju Samson’s struggles. India maximized batting rotations on a placid pitch ahead of the ICC event.
