IND vs SA 2nd T20: Rinku, Surya slam half-centuries, take India to 180 for 7 in 19.3 overs; rain halts play

India and South Africa are playing the second T20 of the three-match series at the St George's Park in Gqeberha. Rinku Singh scored his maiden T20 half-century.

Gqeberha (South Africa): India rode on belligerent fifties by Rinku Singh (68 not out) and skipper Surya Kumar Yadav (56) to post a competitive 180 for 7 in 19.3 overs in their second T20 against South Africa here on Tuesday before rain stopped play.

While Surya hammered five fours and three sixes in his 36-ball knock, Rinku, who recorded his maiden T20 fifty, smashed nine fours and two maximums in his 39-ball unbeaten innings so far. Put into bat, India lost opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (0) in the first over after David Miller took a blinder at backward point to give left-arm pacer Marco Jansen (1 for 39) his first scalp.

India were reeling at 6 for 2 after opener Shubman Gill (0) also fell cheaply after being trapped in front of the wickets by right-arm pacer Lizard Williams on the penultimate ball of the second over.

However, the fall of wickets did not deter one-down Tilak Varma (29) from playing his shots. He was brutal on Marco Jansen in the third over as he hit him for six over backward square-leg and then smashed three boundaries, including one on a no-ball as India amassed 19 runs and raced to 25 for 2.

• UPDATE - Rain stops play in the 2nd T20I at St George's Park.#TeamIndia 180/7 after 19.3 overs.https://t.co/0sPVek9NdO #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/8KbhFaOOxA

  — BCCI (@BCCI) December 12, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  UPDATE - Rain stops play in the 2nd T20I at St George's Park.#TeamIndia 180/7 after 19.3 overs.https://t.co/0sPVek9NdO #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/8KbhFaOOxA

  — BCCI (@BCCI) December 12, 2023

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  UPDATE - Rain stops play in the 2nd T20I at St George's Park.#TeamIndia 180/7 after 19.3 overs.https://t.co/0sPVek9NdO #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/8KbhFaOOxA

  — BCCI (@BCCI) December 12, 2023

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav who walked in at number four was also in his element and took the South African attack to task. He and Tilak Varma added 49 runs for the third wicket as they rallied the innings. However, Tilak Varma's stay at the crease was cut short by pacer Gerald Coetzee. The left-handed batter was caught in the deep by Marco Jansen.

All-rounder Rinku Singh joined skipper Surya, who anchored the innings. Surya played around the park and so did Rinku. They conjured 70 runs for the fourth wicket and ensured that India crossed the 120-run mark. But when it looked like the Men in Blue would post a big total, Surya perished, giving a sitter to Marco Jansen off Tabraiz Shamsi (1 for 18) in the 14th over.

Jitesh Sharma (1) also did not trouble the scorers as India lost half the side for 142. Ravindra Jadeja (19) and Arshdeep Singh (0) fell in quick succession. However, southpaw Rinku, who showed his six-hitting prowess, single-handedly took the score above the 175-run mark. The first T20 between the two sides was abandoned due to inclement weather.