Twitter Reactions: Shikhar Dhawan stars with a fifty as India post 203 on the board

India posted 203/5 on the board with Shikhar Dhawan top scoring with 72.

By Nikhil Anand

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5 Min Read

Shikhar Dhawan of India
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Shikhar Dhawan of India. (Photo Source: Twitter)

After a very convincing win in the ODI series, team India arrived at the venue where it all started for them a couple of weeks ago. The stage was set at the Wanderers, Johannesburg for the first T20I of the three-match series. Interestingly, this is the very venue where the fortunes for the Virat Kohli-led side had changed after having lost the first two Tests on the tour.

For the hosts, the T20Is arrived as an opportunity to get back their lost pride. Coming to the game, South African skipper JP Duminy won the toss and opted to field first. Team India got off to a flying start with Rohit Sharma smashing a couple of sixes and a couple of boundaries first up. However, he could not get along since then as debutante Junior Dala dismissed him on 21 (9) in the second over of the game.

The comeback man for the Indian side, Suresh Raina, was promoted ahead of Virat Kohli in the lineup. Raina played a couple of streaky shots during his 7-ball stay at the crease that yielded 15 runs. Dala accounted for his dismissal as well. In walked Indian captain Virat Kohli to join Shikhar Dhawan at the crease. Both batsmen continued their good form with the bat.

South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi created a big opportunity for the hosts on the very first ball of the innings. He forced Kohli to hit straight into the hands of Farhaan Behardien. But Behardien ended up dropping a sitter. Shamsi, though, managed to get Kohli on 26 in his next over.

Manish Pandey finally got his first shot on the tour. Meanwhile, Shikhar Dhawan brought up a very well played fifty. He never let the tempo go down for the Indian side. Just when one assumed this could be Dhawan’s maiden T20I ton, he threw away his wicket on 72.

The innings came off 39 deliveries with 10 fours and 2 sixes. Manish Pandey and MS Dhoni tried their best to cut loose and get quick runs on board. But Dhoni perished on 16. In the end, Pandey’s unbeaten 29 off 27 balls and Hardik Pandya’s 7-ball 13 saw India finish with 203/5 in their stipulated 20 overs.

Here is how the fans reacted to India’s innings in the first T20I:

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