With 13 needed in the two overs, Tristan Stubbs took the chance to finish off the game. With Arshdeep Singh charging down from the bowling end to bowl the penultimate over, Stubbs smashed back-to-back fours to take South Africa closer
South Africa's Tristan Stubbs watches the ball after playing a shot during the second T20 international cricket match between South Africa and India at St Georges Park in Gqeberha. Pic/AFP
Tristan Stubbs tried to control his breathing to stay calm and guided South Africa to seal the victory in the second T20I against Team India.
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In the second T20I match against India when the Proteas' star hitters like David Miller and Heinrich Klassen failed to perform, young stars such as Tristan Stubbs and Gerald Coetzee stood firm to help the side level the series with 1-1.
As South Africa continued to lose its wickets from the other end, Stubbs took the responsibility on his shoulders and displayed stunning strokes. He took charge of the chase after Gerald Coetzee ignited the fireworks with a towering 103m six.
On his mother's birthday, with people watching him at St George's Park, Tristan Stubbs hammered an unbeaten 47 to guide South Africa to a narrow three-wicket win, bringing the series back to level.
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"It was always two hits away from being back to run-a-ball. I just tried to breathe. It's my mom's birthday, so there were 20-30 people who came to watch the game. This is my favourite place to play cricket," Tristan Stubbs said in the post-match presentation.
Varun Chakaravarthy wreaked havoc with his art in spin, making South Africa's top stars bite the dust. Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller perished to the mystery spinner's stroke of genius.
Ravi Bishnoi outclassed Andile Simelane with an inward turn, and South Africa looked down and out after being reduced to 88/7. Coetzee walked in with a sense of sparking a new life in South Africa's dwindling 125-run chase.
The run rate wasn't a concern for South Africa. The only thing that was a cause for concern for the hosts was the three wickets left in hand.
Even the slightest error in judgement and the game would have slipped away from South Africa's hands. When Coetzee walked towards Stubbs, he had only one message for him: " We can win this."
"The run rate never got away from us. Coetzee came in and played that inning in the end, and we got over the line. He (Coetzee) walked in and said we can win this. I was nervous, so I was trying to control (myself) by breathing," he added.
With 13 needed in the two overs, Tristan Stubbs took the chance to finish off the game. With Arshdeep Singh charging down from the bowling end to bowl the penultimate over, Stubbs smashed back-to-back fours to take South Africa closer.
He finished the over just like the way he started it, with successive fours on the final two deliveries to seal a three-wicket victory. Stubbs was adjudged Player of the Match for his brilliance and would be keen to keep his form intact in the third T20I on Wednesday.
(With ANI Inputs)
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