India bounced back to level the series after losing the first match against South Africa in the ongoing three-match ODI series. Batting first, Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram helped South Africa post a respectable total of 278 on the board. Pacer Mohammed Siraj shined for the Men in Blue as he picked up three wickets.
While chasing the target, the home side lost their openers in an early phase and got stuck in a tricky situation. However, the duo of Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan batted brilliantly to avoid any late drama. While Kishan missed his century by just 7 runs, Iyer successfully touched the three-figure mark to take his side over the line.
Notably, Ishan Kishan didn’t find himself in India’s squad for the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to get underway in Australia this month. The likes of Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul and Dinesh Karthik were preferred over him for the wicketkeeper batter role.
When asked about his snub, the wicketkeeper provided a positive reply. He said that every member of the T20 World Cup team is doing well and he would like to wait for his opportunity.
“If you look at the T20 World Cup team, everyone is doing well, from openers to finishers so I will wait for my time and selectors might have seen I need some improvements as well so when my opportunity comes, I will be fully prepared,” Kishan said.
India and South Africa will once again lock horns on October 11 (Tuesday) for the final ODI, which will decide the winner. After this series, fans will turn their attention to the marquee event. The main squad have already started practicing in Australia and will play a couple of warm-up games before heading into the official fixtures.
