New Delhi: Team India took the field against South Africa in the third T20I on Wednesday with debutant Ramandeep Singh, who finally got the maiden chance to represent the nation. Receiving his India cap from Hardik Pandya at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, the 27-year-old Punjab-based all-rounder came out to bat at no. 7, and on the first ball itself, slammed a six against South African pacer Andile Simelane.
By hitting a six on the first ball of his international career, Ramandeep equalled his skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s T20I record. He has become the second Indian cricketer after Surya to have smashed a six on the first ball on his T20I debut. Back in 2021, Surya, in his maiden T20I innings for India, also opened his account by scoring a six off Jofra Archer’s bowling. The match took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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Ramandeep Singh hits a six off the first ball on debut! 💪
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Surya scored 57 runs off 31 balls laced with six fours and three sixes and took away the Player of the Match award, whereas Ramandeep, in his first-ever T20I outing for Men in Blue, could muster 15 from six balls. He was run out by Heinrich Klaasen on the second last ball of the 20th over of Indian innings as he attempted to take a quick single. His cameo had a four as well which he hit in the penultimate over against Lutho Sipamla.
Before returning to the pavilion, Ramandeep added 28 runs for the sixth wicket with Tilak Varma to help his team cross the 200-run mark for the second time in this ongoing four-match series.
Tilak Varma – The Hero
Tilak Varma was promoted up the batting order by Suryakumar Yadav in the third T20I. He came out to bat at no. 3 and top-scored for the team with an unbeaten 107-run knock coming off 56 balls, his maiden international hundred. During his time in the middle, he hit eight fours and seven sixes. He also became the second youngest batter after Yashasvi Jaiswal to score a century for India in the shortest format of the game.
India eventually won the game by a narrow margin of 11 runs and took a 2-1 lead in the series and Varma was adjudged the Player of the Match. India and South Africa will play the fourth and final T20I of the series at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on November 15, Friday.
Ramandeep Singh made his Team India debut on Wednesday and was quick enough to announce his impact on the field. He equalled skipper Suryakumar Yadav for an elite record in the T20Is. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
