Ishan Kishan seals top-order slot as India beat South Africa by 30 runs

Navi Mumbai: In-form Ishan Kishan’s minute-a-mile half-century helped him lock his place in the top order as India completed a 30-run victory over South Africa in their only warm-up match ahead of the T20 World Cup here on Wednesday.

Ishan went hammer and tongs to smash seven sixes and two fours as his 20-ball 53 underlined another dominant show from Indian batters, who piled up a massive 241 for five on a placid wicket here at the DY Patil Stadium. The T20 World Cup defending champions then used as many as nine bowling options including three overs from Abhishek Sharma (2/32), restricting South Africa for 210/7.

However, frontline pacer Harshit Rana (0/16) left the field after sending down his only over of the night, in which he pulled out of his run-up twice and eventually did not return to the action.

South Africa experimented by sending George Linde (0) to open with Aiden Markram (38 retired out), which did

not yield any result with the former being dismissed for a four-ball duck in the first

over from Arshdeep Singh (1/29). Ryan Rickelton hit a 21-ball 44 with three sixes and four boundaries while Jason Smith struck 35 off 23

balls with four fours and a six. While Dewald Brevis (2) fell cheaply, Tristan Stubbs smacked four sixes to make a 21-ball 45 not out.