India beat South Africa by 16 points in a Twenty20 international match at Guwahati on Sunday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-game series as David Miller and Quinton de Kock were undefeated in 174 points.
Chasing an imposing 237, the visitors fell short as India’s imperious batting performance helped them to victory as well as their first T20 series home win against South Africa.
Miller hit a solid 106 from 47 balls and his unbeaten position for the fourth wicket with fly-half De Kock threatened to take India out of the game, but the task ultimately proved too daunting.
South Africa were in shock at 5-2 at the end of the second after Temba Bavuma and Rilee Rossouw fell in love with Arshdeep Singh. Aiden Markram then hit 33 from 19 in a valiant effort but De Kock struggled to a 69 from 48 balls.
Play was stopped in the third leg of the chase after one of the stadium’s four floodlight towers went out. It was the game’s second interruption after a snake slithered onto the pitch in a bizarre turn of events early in India’s innings.
India were batted and smashed over 150 runs inbounds to an impressive 237-3, courtesy of Suryakumar Yadav’s blazing 22-ball 61 after fly-half KL Rahul flashed out of the blocks for do 57 out of 28.
Keshav Maharaj gave the visitors a breakthrough by ending the opening stand by 96, knocking out skipper Rohit Sharma (43) in the 10th before trapping Rahul’s leg before the wicket in the 12th to finish with an excellent 2- 23.
Yadav joined Virat Kohli on the crease with the momentum looking to be shifting towards South Africa but was quick to settle, continuing his sparkling form to lift a half-century in just 18 balls.
Kohli finished unbeaten on a 49 from 28 balls and Dinesh Karthik hit 17 in his seven-ball cameo as India reached their fourth-highest total in T20.
The final match of the series will be played in Indore on Tuesday.