New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): South Africa batters Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller made it to the record books after putting together a match-winning 131-run stand for the fourth wicket in the first T20I against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday.
Rassie van der Dussen and Miller’s match-winning unbeaten stand of 131 became the second-highest fourth-wicket partnership in T20Is (only full member sides).
van der Dussen smashed 75* off 46 balls while Miller scored 64* off 31 balls to guide Proteas to a historical run chase.
David Warner and Glenn Maxwell are on the top with the highest partnership for the fourth wicket in the T20I format against the Proteas in Johannesburg in 2016. The duo had a 161-run partnership as Australia chased down a target of 205 by five wickets. Warner smashed 77 off 40 while all-rounder Maxwell scored 75 in 43 balls.
Also after chasing down the target of 212 runs against India, South Africa completed their most successful run-chase in the shortest format of the game.
The Proteas have now outdone the successful chase of 206 runs against the West Indies in the 2007 T20 World Cup in Johannesburg. They had also chased down totals of 200 and 189 runs against Team India in 2015 and 2018 respectively.
Talking about the match, chasing 212 South Africa lost wickets at regular intervals and were 81/3 when Miller and Van der Dussen came in for the rescue. While van der Dussen struggled to play at the start, Miller continued his red-hot form and dominated Indian bowlers.
The two batters eventually put up an unbeaten partnership of 131 runs for the fourth wicket and brought up their fifties.
With only four runs left to win in the last over, van der Dussen sent the very first delivery of Chahal for a boundary and claimed a historical seven-wicket win, with five balls remaining.
Earlier, after being put to bat first, India posted 211/4 in 20 overs. Ishan Kishan smashed 76 off 48 while Hardik Pandya also played the quick-fire knock of unbeaten 31 off 12.
South Africa have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. (ANI)