Five highest successful run chases against India in T20I cricket

South Africa’s 212/3 on June 9, 2022 is the highest successful run chase against India in T20Is.

The Proteas batters wreaked havoc on the Indian bowling attack at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to reach the monumental total, bettering their own record of 200/5 set in 2015.

The match began on a dismal note for South Africa, with India dominating the visitors despite the absence of seasoned batters Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul.

Up against a new-look India, South African bowlers were taken to the cleaners by the likes of Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya and captain Rishabh Pant.

By the end of the 20th over, India had posted 211/4, courtesy of Ishan Kishan’s 48-ball 76. None of the South African bowlers finished with an economy of lower than eight.

While the job was pretty much done by the batters, India’s bowling attack failed to match the expectations. They did manage to pick two wickets within the first six overs, but Rassie van der Dussen and David Miller combined to take home the win.

After South Africa were reduced to 81/3, the two combined to play an unbeaten partnership of 131 runs off just 64 balls to end India’s 12-match winning streak in T20 cricket. Five of India’s six bowlers conceded runs at an economy of 10 or more.  

This was not only the highest successful run chase against India, but was also South Africa’s highest successful chase in the shortest format.

There were other records in the offering too. For instance, South Africa scored 126 runs in the last ten overs (11-20), which is now the highest return by any team in a successful chase in that period.

Furthermore, this was also the first instance that the Indian cricket team failed to defend a 200-plus total. The team had won each of their last 11 matches whenever scoring more than 200 runs.

David Miller was rightly adjudged as the Man of the Match after scoring a 31-ball 64. The middle-order batter scored 46 of his 64 runs off boundaries alone (four 4s, five 6s).

South Africa’s record chase in 2015

Before their monumental chase in 2022, South Africa were the only team to score 200 runs against India in a successful chase. On October 2, 2015, the Proteas scored 200/3 in 19.4 overs to beat India by seven wickets.

The first innings saw India posting 199/5, riding on Rohit Sharma’s 66-ball 106. And while South Africa had a slow start, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and Farhaan Behardien combined to reach the target with two balls remaining. 

India’s World T20 semi-final defeat

On March 31, 2016, India took on West Indies in the semi-final of ICC World T20. batting first, India rode on Virat Kohli’s 47-ball 89 to score 192/2 in 20 overs. While many believed it was a score worth defending, West Indies had other ideas.

By the end of the third over, West Indies had lost two wickets and were in dire need of someone to take up the mantle. On came Lendl Simmons and Andre Russell who combined for 80 runs in just 40 balls to win the game for their team by seven wickets.

The final ball saw Russell hitting Kohli for a six which took West Indies’ total to 196/3.

Highest successful run chase against India in T20Is

Featured photo: AFP / Jewel Samad