India vs South Africa 2024 Match Prediction: Who will win the 2nd T20I match?
A 12th consecutive win in the format beckons for Team India as they face South Africa in the second T20I at St. George's Park, Gqeberha, on Sunday, November 10.
The world champions were at their dominant best in the series opener in Durban as they recorded a resounding 61-run win on Friday (November 8). Sanju Samson's blistering 107 set the tone as India posted a huge total of 202/8 on a two-paced surface, before the duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi spun a web around the Proteas.
South Africa have had their struggles in this format post their defeat to India in the final of the T20 World Cup in June. While majority of these matches saw them rest a number of their first-choice players, they are at near full strength for this series, with Kagiso Rabada being the one notable absentee.
Having endured a hammering a couple of days ago, the Proteas will have to be at their very best in order to stop this Indian juggernaut, that has lost a solitary match in this format in the calendar year.
SA vs IND 2024: Gqeberha surface could be the deciding factor
The surface in Durban assisted the slower bowlers even as Samson's chanceless innings fooled many into believing that it was a featherbed. South Africa's spin duo of Keshav Maharaj and Nqaba Peter were far from their best though and India made the hosts pay for the same.
The onus ought to fall on the spinners once again though on Sunday if history is anything to go by. The surface at St. George's Park is often renowned for being two-paced, with the seamers resorting to their cutters and spin having a prominent role to play.
South Africa's powerful batting lineup is too good to not come good two matches on the spin. But if the nature of the surface in Gqeberha remains sluggish, it gives India an added advantage thanks to their relentless and varied spin attack that also includes Axar Patel, Abhishek Sharma and the part-time off-spin of Tilak Varma.
Momentum also remains with the Men in Blue and it's bound to take the Proteas an inspired performance to draw level in the series on Sunday.
Prediction: India to win the 2nd T20I vs South Africa.