PHOTOS: India vs South Africa, 2nd T20I, Guwahati

Images from the second T20 International between India and South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, in Guwahati, on Sunday.

  • Scorecard

Suryakumar Yadav continued his red hot form with a scintillating half-century, while KL Rahul also stroked a quickfire fifty as India’s batters took the South African attack to the cleaners in the second T20 International in Guwahati on Sunday.

The top order once was once again among the runs as India posted a massive 237/3 in their 20 overs.

It rained boundaries at the small Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati with the Indian batters smashing as many as 25 fours and 13 sixes, to collect 178 runs from boundaries alone.

Rohit Sharma (43 off 37 balls) and KL Rahul (57 off 28 balls) gave the Indians the perfect start, before Suryakumar Yadav (61 off 22 balls), Virat Kohli (49 not out) and Dinesh Karthik (17 not out) finished it off in style.

Rahul was back at his aggressive best, slamming a 24-ball fifty, his second in a row, as he and Rohit put on 96 runs for the opening wicket from just 59 balls after South Africa had elected to bowl.

Suryakumar continued to raise his standards higher with a third successive half-century that came off just 18 deliveries as India raced past the 200-mark in the 18th over.

Karthik, playing the role of finisher, got just seven balls but he made the most of the opportunity, smashing two sixes and one four in his quickfire 17 not out.

The South African pacers looked lacklustre on a flat pitch, bowling full and wide to be taken away for boundaries regularly.

After being hit on his hand from Wayne Parnell in the second over while trying to pull, Rohit came out all guns blazing while Rahul was a mute spectator with nine from five balls.

It was then the turn of Rahul who whipped the ball over square leg with perfect demonstration of his wrist work.

It was a shot that summed up his dominating innings as he took on Anrich Nortje in a similar fashion, this time whipping the bowler for another maximum.

There was no signs of tentativeness in Rahul’s batting that had copped much criticism recently, as he hit part-time spinner Aiden Markram for a six over long-on to bring up his fifty.

India’s openers made most of the Powerplay, as they reached 57 for no loss in six overs before the middle order cashed in.

In a rare sight, the snake slithered out onto the field from the extra cover region to stop play for about five minutes before the groundsmen captured it in a bucket.

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