The first match was a washout which means that both sides will be under pressure to get a result in match two of the series in Mohali.
India and the Proteas have one eye on the future in this series although the hosts appear to have a better balance of youth and experience.
Photo Copyright Steve Haag Sport Hollywoodbets
Wednesday 19 September 2019 | The Punjab Cricket Association Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium, Mohali | 15:30
To Win
India
Tie
South Africa
India
Krunal Pandya was the man of the series in India’s last T20I engagement but will have to duel his brother Hardik for those match-winning moments. The Pandya brothers bring plenty to the party with bat and ball in contrasting fashion.
Rohit Sharma and skipper Virat Kohli will be presented with another opportunity to prove they can work well together despite the rumours of a rift between the skipper and his white-ball deputy.
India look to the future with their selections in the bowling department, resting their top frontline bowlers in favour of blooding the next generation. The hosts have every reason to have faith in the young bowlers that include find of the year so far Navdeep Saini.
The IS Bindra Stadium has proven a happy hunting ground for India in the past with two wins in two T20Is at the Mohali venue. The last match India played there in the T20I format was the 2016 win over Australia.
South Africa
Proteas stand-in skipper Quinton de Kock hit 60 off 39 balls in an IPL match at the IS Bindra Stadium earlier this year. De Kock was among the star performers for the Mumbai Indians in the 2019 series but will need to use all that experience in leading a green Proteas outfit.
David Miller was based in Mohali for the 2019 IPL with the Kings XI Punjab and he too will be expected to step up for the Proteas who are without Faf du Plessis.
The Proteas have three spin-bowling options for this match in Tabraiz Shamsi, Bjorn Fortuin and George Linde. Shamsi is likely to be the number one spinner while Linde’s batting could give him the edge over Fortuin.
India have enjoyed more recent T20I competition than the Proteas who will need to shake off any rustiness very quickly or risk being blown away by their dangerous hosts.
The Proteas haven’t set the world alight in Twenty20 cricket but nonetheless come into this series ranked ahead of India in third place on the ICC rankings.
Verdict: India
India should win this match.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets.
