New Delhi [India], September 14 (ANI): Former South Africa’s batting sensation AB de Villiers attributed the Proteas’ struggles within the 2nd T20 in opposition to England to their incapability to successfully bowl ‘cutters’, which he believes had been essentially the most difficult deliveries to hit on the Nottingham pitch.
England stormed again in type to stage the three-match T20I collection in opposition to South Africa, posting a mammoth 304/2 in 20 overs earlier than skittling the guests for simply 158 in 16.1 overs. The hosts gained by a document 146 runs, their largest victory margin in T20Is, and arrange a decider in Nottingham on Sunday.
‘There’s that one 304 for 2 monumental whole. I believe we simply kind of wakened slightly bit late there with the ball in hand. Did not realise in that first 10 overs that cutters are literally the toughest ball to hit. 304 for 2, and it is sport over as a result of their bowlers would have sat on the facet and they might have watched that final six or seven overs the place then solely the Proteas began to bowl some cutters and realised maintain on, there’s your supply for the day,’ AB de Villiers stated on his YouTube channel.
De Villiers believed England knew exactly the way to bowl within the second innings, and there aren’t any excuses for South Africa as they stored tempo on pitching it up the entire time.
‘England miles forward there, realizing precisely what to bowl in that second innings. No excuses for South Africa. They’re all skilled gamers, most of them not less than, and ought to be faster to adapt to circumstances, they usually simply stored tempo on pitching it up the entire time. Ball flying everywhere in the park and by no means actually went to these quick grippers into the deck, which was the go-to supply for the day,’ he added.
England’s 304/2 now stands on the high, eclipsing India’s 297/6 in opposition to Bangladesh in Hyderabad in 2024 and 283/1 in opposition to South Africa in Johannesburg the identical 12 months.
‘England clearly ready for that and made it actually powerful for our batters who constantly needed to search for boundaries with that powerful supply, the cutter, and if you are going to do this, you are going to lose wickets, which they ended up doing. The one kind of blessing in a approach is we misplaced with 4 overs to spare nonetheless. So had we strung collectively some partnership, possibly partnerships, possibly we’d have gotten to love a 250 and it might have been an okay loss in a approach,’ he concluded.
England’s dominance with the bat noticed them shatter a number of data. Their 304/2 was their highest ever whole in T20 internationals, surpassing the 267/3 in opposition to West Indies in Tarouba in 2023, and likewise marked their first time breaching the 300-run barrier within the format. It was the third-highest whole in T20I historical past, behind Zimbabwe’s 344/4 in opposition to Gambia in 2024 and Nepal’s 314/3 in opposition to Mongolia in 2023. This was solely the second occasion of a Take a look at-playing nation crossing 300.
The highest scorer in South Africa’s chase was Aiden Markram, who scored 41. Jofra Archer was the highest bowler for England with 3/25. For South Africa, all of the bowlers had been hammered; Bjorn Fortuin was the only wicket taker for the Proteas with 2/52. With the collection now tied at 1-1, Nottingham will host the decider on Sunday. (ANI)
