Temba Bavuma was relieved and happy after South Africa managed to overcome Sanju Samson’s power-hitting in the final overs to secure a 9-run win over India in a rain-hit first ODI in Lucknow on Thursday.
South Africa reached 249/4 thanks to the attacking half-centuries struck by Heinrich Klaasen (74 not out) and David Miller (75 not out). Sanju Samson scored a brilliant half-century for India in the reply, but the hosts were only able to muster 240/8 as South Africa took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The match was reduced to 40 overs a side after morning rains delayed the start by nearly three hours.
“A good fight at the end, obviously Sanju pushed us at the end, but the boys stood firm and took us to the win. There wasn’t much grass on the surface, we lost a couple of wickets in the middle overs, myself and Aiden (Markram), but the boys knuckled down,” Temba Bavuma said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“Miller and Klaasen played positively, stung together a partnership and took us to a good score. Bowling upfront was good, in the first 15 overs by KG and Parnell. I thought we lost our way in the middle overs, gave away far too many runs, but at the end, the result did go our way and I’m happy with that,” Bavuma added.
