According to Proteas all-rounder Wayne Parnell, India will definitely bounce back after they were beaten heavily in the first T20I.
Cape Town — Proteas all-rounder Wayne Parnell believes the visitors are braced for an Indian onslaught in the second T20I in Cuttack on Sunday.
The visitors pulled off a remarkable record chase in the first T20I to stun the hosts in Delhi last Thursday. India were in control for the first two thirds of the contest before David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen combined for a 131-run unbroken partnership to power the Proteas over the line with five balls to spare.
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“This match is going to be crucial. India will definitely bounce back. They are a quality side. We don’t expect anything else. Every single game till the Bengaluru T20I is going to be very very tough,” Parnell said in the pre-match conference on Saturday.
South Africa will though be hoping to start better than they did at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium though after India’s makeshift opening pair of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan set the Powerplay alight.
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It was only after the introduction of Parnell, who was playing in his first T20I since 2017 after a Kolpak sojourn and stints in various T20 leagues around the world, that the momentum was halted.
Adding great variation to the Proteas attack through his left-arm seam, the 32-year-old also showed off his experience by immediately reverting to cutters from the outset on a two-paced Delhi track. He was rewarded when he created the breakthrough by having Gaikwad caught by Proteas debutant Tristan Stubbs.
The Barabati Stadium surface is expected to be more bowler-friendly and Parnell is eager to have another crack at the Indians.
It's the celebration at the end @keshavmaharaj16 🤣#INDvSA #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/JH10L2S72d
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) June 11, 2022
“The side strip was pretty green and with overhead conditions, it did swing around a bit,” Parnell said. “Maybe for the seamers, there will be a little bit with the new ball. But the actual wicket, we have to see how it is on the matchday.”
Parnell is one of two seam bowling all-rounders in the current Proteas line-up along with Dwaine Pretorius. It is likely that the Proteas will field the same composition in Cuttack with Aiden Markram still ruled out after contracting Covid-19. He is currently serving a seven-day isolation period in Delhi.
Pretorius was elevated to the No 3 position in the last game with the experiment working in favour of the visitors as he clubbed 29 off 13 balls. Parnell is also an option to move up the order after previously having success there in domestic cricket, but is likely that the Proteas may stick with Pretorius instead.
“Dwaine is probably one of the guys in world cricket that hits the ball the hardest,” said Rassie van der Dussen. “If you look at his domestic and international stats, No 3 is a position he’s been successful at. The thing tonight is that he had clear instructions to go in and put the bowlers under pressure. We know when Dwaine gets it right, he’s really tough to bowl to because he’s so powerful.”
TEAMS TEAMS FOR CUTTACK
South Africa: Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje.
India: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan.
Start: 3:3pm TV: SuperSport2
