India fans bad losers as SA nails T20 series in style

06 October 2015 - 02:05 By Telford Vice

Just like that, South Africa have won a series in India. And in some style: they wiped the floor with the home side in the second T20 in Cuttack last night, winning by six wickets with 17 balls remaining. But there was nothing easy about this success, achieved between bouts of crowd violence and after a 2000km journey from the first match of the series in Dharamsala on Friday.A full house of 44790 red-misted fans had crowded into the Barabati Stadium to see the first T20 international at a ground that India have graced with their presence in just two Tests and 17 one-day internationals since 1982.They did not like what they saw. India were shot out for 92. That left South Africa's batsmen minimal work, and JP Duminy did the biggest chunk in his unbeaten 30."It's easy to be a captain when the bowlers perform like that," Faf du Plessis said. "They were exceptional - that's probably the best we've ever bowled in a T20."It was indeed a handsome win but it was earned amid ugliness. Perhaps the shower of plastic bottles filled with water that flew from the stands towards the field as victory and defeat neared, preventing play for a total of 54 minutes, explained why India don't play in Cuttack more often...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.