CRICKET: India won by eight wickets in the first match of the three-match T20 series against South Africa

Kerala: India won by eight wickets in the first match of the three-match T20 series against South Africa at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. South Africa, who batted first today, managed to score just 106 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs, while India reached the target with the loss of two wickets with 20 balls to spare.

Vice-captain KL Rahul, who shone with half-centuries, and middle-order player Surya kumar Yadav led India to a resounding victory. Rahul remained unbeaten with 51 runs from 56 balls with two fours and four sixes and Surya remained unbeaten with 50 runs from 33 balls with five fours and three sixes.

India lost the wickets of captain Rohit Sharma (0) and former captain Virat Kohli (3). It was the visitors' strike bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Antrich Norkya who dropped Rohit and Kohli respectively.

Early pacers Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar's brilliant bowling destroyed South Africa. Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who won the toss in the match held at Kariyavatta after a gap of two years, sent the visitors into bat.

Failing to determine the bounce and length on the green pitch at Greenfield, the South African top order collapsed in incredible fashion. They lost their first five wickets before reaching 10 runs on the scoreboard.

In the very first over, Deepak Chahar started India's wicket-hunting by returning the visiting team captain Themba Bawma (0). Arshdeep Singh also literally destroyed South Africa in the second over. Arshdeep turned the match in India's favor from the start as he brought the dangerous Quinton de Kock(1), middle-order Riley Russo and firecracker David Miller(0) to the pavilion.

Later, they lost their wicket at the stipulated interval and were helped by Keshav Maharaj's resistance at the tail end. Maharaj scored 41 runs from 35 balls with five fours and two sixes. Apart from Maharaj, Aiden Markram scored 25 runs from 24 balls with three fours and a six, and Wayne Parnell scored 24 runs from 37 balls with a four and a six each.

For India, Arshdeep took three wickets for 32 runs in four overs while Chahar took two wickets for 24 runs. Harshal Patel, who conceded two wickets for 26 runs, and Axar Patel, who conceded one wicket for 16 runs, did not take any wickets, but Ravichandran Ashwin, who conceded just eight runs in four overs, also shone in bowling.