Twitter Reactions: Proteas sense series win, India restricted to 172 in the decider

The stage was all set for the ultimate show down of an exciting India tour of South Africa. Prior to the commencement of the tour, the tour had generated a lot of buzz considering the fact that it was the first major overseas tour for the team this season. The action kick started in Cape Town with the first Test and now, the action returned to the same venue for the final T20I of the series.

Commenting on the tour, the hosts were the superior side in the Tests. And in the limited overs, team India ruled the roost. In the T20I series, the stage was set for the bragging rights. The visitors won the first game and the Proteas won the second to set up things perfectly for the ultimate game, the decider. Now, at the half way mark in the game, the balanced stands evenly in both the courts.

Coming to the game, South African skipper JP Duminy won the toss and opted to bowl first. The shocker awaited the Indian fans as there was no Virat Kohli in the game. A stiff back kept the Indian skipper out of the action. Stand-in Indian skipper Rohit Sharma had a lot to prove in the game. He, however, perished cheaply on 11. Junior Dala accounted for his dismissal for the third time in as many number of games.

Suresh Raina then joined Shikhar Dhawan at the crease. Raina looked in sublime form ever since he hit his first ball of the game for a brilliant six over the deep square leg fielder. Raina’s knock came to an end in the 10th over as he perished on 43 (27). Manish Pandey got going with a six too, but could only score 13 in the game.

Dhawan, who was looking very quiet up until then, took a move on. Dhawan’s stay of 40 deliveries at the crease yielded 43 runs. A mixup at the crease saw him getting run out. Hardik Pandya and MS Dhoni had four overs at their disposal to help India rebuild and finish after being 126/4.

Dhoni could only muster 12 runs and Pandya looked struggling for his 17-ball 21. Dinesh Karthik, who eventually got his time with the bat at the crease in the penultimate over, hit two fours on the first two balls that he faced. Karthik’s 6-ball 13 helped India finish with 172/7 in their stipulated 20 overs. Junior Dala was the pick of the South African bowlers with figures of 3/35.

Here is how the fans reacted to India’s innings in the final T20I:

Rohit Sharma's South African odyssey –

Tests: 11, 10, 10, 47 – 78 runs @ 19.50
ODIs: 20, 15, 0, 5, 115, 15 – 170 runs @ 28.33
T20Is: 21, 0, 11 – 32 runs @ 10.66#SAvIND

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) February 24, 2018

Dhoni is not even in, but Manish is already running his ass off. Aaj gaali nahi khaani bhai.? #SAvIND

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) February 24, 2018

Let me confess…I never thought that Rohit will have this kind of scores in white ball cricket in South Africa. Much better than just one meaningful score in 9 innings. #SAvIND

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2018

Suresh Raina starts his innings with a six. #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/vd3vu8MPCa

— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) February 24, 2018

Pandya ahead of Dhoni and Karthik…it's interesting to treat DK as a finisher in his only game on the tour. #SAvIND

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2018

Rohit Sharma in overseas as useless as "ueue" in "Queue"

— RANJITH (@sirranjithkk) February 24, 2018

Rohit Sharma's innings. #INDvSA @coolfunnytshirt pic.twitter.com/Hss9zHHPOa

— Pun of God (@Punofgod) February 24, 2018

If you remove that one century at Port Elizabeth then Rohit Sharma's score on this tour –

11
10
10
47
20
15
0
5
15
21
0
11#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/y9GW9UCWPr

— Nikhil Mane ??? (@nikhiltait) February 24, 2018

Rohit Sharma on this tour
Tests: 78 runs @ 19.5 in 4 innings
ODI : 170 runs @ 28.33 in 6 innings
T20i : 32 runs @ 10.67 in 3 innings
Only 1 50+ score in 13 innings#SAvIND

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) February 24, 2018

Rohit Sharma against Junior Dala
Innings: 3
Balls faced : 7
Runs scored: 4
Dismissals : 3
Average: 1.33
W, 0, W, W, 0, 0, 4 (edged)#SAvIND

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) February 24, 2018

Captaincy never affected Rohit Sharma's batting, he continues to get out on 10-15 runs.#INDvSA

— Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) February 24, 2018

Runs and centuries are not everything. Rohit Sharma valiantly faced the wrath of Junior Dala while Virat Kohli ran away. True hero Rohit.

— rohitswarrior1 (@The_Sleigher) February 24, 2018

Hardik Panya's SA tour with the bat –
First inngs: 93 runs
Since: 86 runs in 11 inngs (1, 15, 6, 0, 4, 3*, 14, 9, 0, 13*, 21)#SAvIND

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) February 24, 2018

Pandya avearges just 11 in T20Is. ?#SAvIND

— Rafay Ali (@RafayXaidi) February 24, 2018

Dinesh karthik is back after having a wonderful holiday

— Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) February 24, 2018

Hardik Pandya ek aisa all rounder hai jisse log tarrif karte karte kabhi bhi gaali de sakte hai.

— Akshay (@AkshayKatariyaa) June 11, 2017

Rohit Sharma in this Series-
Test =19 ave.
Odi =28 ave.
T20 =10 ave.
Legend for a reason ?? #SAvIND

— Harshit Pachouri (@Instastariam) February 24, 2018

When you were scoring with proper cricketing shots, why try to be cheeky? That shot was Dinesh Karthik's career in a nutshell. #SAvIND

— Devdutt (@ApratimKheladu) February 24, 2018

CJ Dala's 3-35 is the best return by a South African seam bowler in T20Is at Newlands beating SM Pollock's 3-40 v Bangladesh on 15 September 2007#SAvInd

— Arthur_S (@allanholloway) February 24, 2018

Those three boundaries by Karthik will prove to be extremely vital in the course of the match. This is not the easiest batting deck in the world. 170 is par IMO. #SAvIND

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) February 24, 2018

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