India came close to defending a small total in the second T20I against South Africa in Gqeberha on Sunday, before Tristan Stubbs played a cameo to take his team home for a series-levelling three-wicket win at St. George’s Park. But former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali slammed Hardik Pandya for playing a “selfish” knock that cost India crucial runs.
India’s batting couldn’t fire like in the first T20I. First-match centurion, Sanju Samson, was dissmissed for a duck, while the big-hitting Abhishek Sharma (4) and Suryakumar Yadav (4) failed to inspire; and the visitors could only muster 124 for 6.
It was the contribution from the trio of Tilak Varma (20 off 20), Axar Patel (27 off 21) and Pandya (39 not out off 45) that produced the runs to take India past the 120-run mark.
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Pandya’s knock came a strike rate of less than 100.00, and the all-rounder denied singles to farm more of the strike while India were only six down in the death overs, which surprised the former Pakistan batsman.
“Pandya saab not out rahe, 39 from 45 balls, total apne liye khele (Pandya remained unbeaten, played for himself),” said Basit on his YouTube channel.
“Apne liye kyu khele? Mujhe lagta hai IPL ki taiyari kar rahe hain Mumbai Indians ke liye (why he played for himself? I think he is preparing for Mumbai Indians and IPL). It painted a very sorry picture, the way he was playing. He was not taking singles also, even though Arshdeep (Singh) had hit a six,” the 53-year-old former Pakistan batsman said.
“India were not nine down that he was denying singles; they were just six down. He should have taken the singles. But he is a big player, and India’s favourite,” he added.
Basit reckoned Axar’s knock was better than Pandya’s.
“Axar batted better than him, who unfortunately got run out after scoring 27 runs off 21 balls.”
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Defending the small total, India’s leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy bowled a dream spell of 5 for 17, but Stubbs turned that into a futile effort with his 41-ball 47 not out.
‘Player of the Match’ Stubbs found good support fom Gerald Coetzee (19 not out off 9), who came out in the 16th over when the score read 86 for 7.
The hosts eventually reached the target with an over to spare. The four-match series now stands at 1-1, with two games left to play.
The third T20I is scheduled for November 13 in Centurion.
