IND vs SA | Wasn't really able to get momentum towards the end, says Temba Bavuma
Temba Bavuma, who made his T20I debut yesterday, has stated that he couldn't muster enough momentum towards the backend of the innings for which the team ended up with 149/5 despite scoring 78/1 at the halfway stage. Bavuma has also conceded that 180 would have been a competitive score.
Quinton de Kock played a captain's knock upfront with a stroke-filled 37-ball 52 and added 57 runs for the second-wicket partnership with Bavuma who contributed 49 off 43 to the team's cause in his maiden T20I. However, it was a wasted start as from the score of 78/1 at the halfway stage, South Africa could score a total of 149 from their 20 overs as Indian bowlers slowed the game down with a proper set of plans.
Bavuma, who was batting with a good flow, had the opportunity to press the accelerator but with David Miller struggling, his confidence went on a downward spiral, culminating with what could be called as a mediocre batting performance on a flat deck like Mohali. The debutant took the blame on himself and conceded that 180 would have been a competitive score.
"When David came in at No. 5, I think in the 13th over we were in a very strong position. That's where we probably fumbled a bit in our batting cause. At the halfway stage I was thinking 180 at least - that could be a very competitive score. But yeah we just weren't able to get going. I'm the one to be blamed. I wasn't really able to get the momentum. And all the other big hitters, I thought the platform was really set for the boys to go and do their thing," Bavuma told reporters on Wednesday.
"They're always going to have a good bowling phase. It's very hard to play a perfect 20 overs of cricket. As much as they had those good 2-3 overs, myself, and Quinton were able to build a partnership and get us into a good position. From the 12th over to about the 16th is when we, I'd like to think, lost the game in our batting. If we were able to keep up the intensity there, I don't think we would have ended up with a score of 150," the 29-year-old added.
It was India's first T20 win against South Africa at home and something that became possible with an all-round effort in three aspects of the game. While the bowlers and batsmen did well to control the game, Indian fielding was exceptional. Bavuma gave due credit to India's bowlers to set up their 1-0 series lead but felt that the hosts aren't unbeatable either in the shortest format.
"They're a formidable team but I don't think they're not an unbeatable side. Like I said, with our batting, it was just one phase where we let ourselves down. And a quality side like that would make us pay. So I think there's always a moment in the game where we can win, and I think for us its more about being aware of those moments and making sure we're in the right mental space to win those moments," he said.
"It's something that we can work on. I don't think we were completely outplayed in the game. There are a lot of positives that we can take forward from this game."
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