SPORTS

Crowd behaviour mars Cuttack T20I as India concede series

Source:PTI
October 07, 2015

IMAGE: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni congratulates Jean Paul Duminy after South Africa won the 2nd T20I in Cuttack. Photograph: BCCI

South Africa clinched the Twenty20 series with a comfortable six wicket win over India in the second match, which was marred by unruly crowd behaviour at the Barabati stadium in Cuttack.

The visitors overhauled the 93-run target with 17-balls to spare to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Put into bat, India faltered against a disciplined South African attack and were bowled out for a paltry 92 in 17.2 overs.

This was India's second lowest T20 score after its 74 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in February 2008.

Unable to digest India's batting display, spectators at the Barabati Stadium hurled water bottles onto the ground.

The crowd continued to throw bottles onto the ground during the South African run chase, but could only delay the inevitable as the Proteas cruised to victory.

The crowd did not respond to repeated requests on the public system to keep calm, putting a question mark on international games in Odisha.

IMAGE: The South Africans after Virat Kohli's wicket. Photograph: BCCI

The South African bowlers made the difference, with Albie Morkel (3/12) and Imran Tahir (2/24) and Chris Morris (2/16) being the main wicket-takers.

After a brisk start provided by openers Shikhar Dhawan (11) and Rohit Sharma (22), the Indian batting lost the plot post some fine bowling and indecisive running by the batsmen.

Dhawan was the first to go, trapped leg before by Morris while Virat Kohli (1) and Rohit ran themselves out.

Tahir scalped Suresh Raina for 22 as the men in blue looked down the barrel at 67/5.

Morkel, who was drafted into the side in place of Marchant de Lange, took care of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5) and Axar Patel (9).

IMAGE: The Indians after Hashim Amla's wicket. Photograph: BCCI

Ravichandran Ashwin (3/24) tried his best to defend a low score, but the visitors made it look simple in the end.

After the wickets of Hashim Amla (2), Faf du Plessis (16) and A B de Villers (19), Jean Paul Duminy (30 not out) and Farhaan Behardien (11) made sure that their side stayed in the chase. In the end David Miller (10 not out) stayed with Duminy to get the win.

South Africa were 64/3 in 11 overs when trouble began again during the drinks break when the spectators started hurling water bottles onto the field, interrupting the game for 19 minutes.

IMAGE: The Indian players await the resumption of play, suspended by the crowd hurling bottles onto the field. Photograph: BCCI

This time, the bottles were thrown more vigorously, and from four galleries on the left side of the dressing room.

Play resumed after policemen vacated the galleries from where most of the bottles were thrown.

Source: PTI
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