IND vs SA: After defeating India, Captain Markram says this about Mullanpur pitch

After achieving parity in the series, the South African captain said, "Our fielding was also good in this match. The pitch here was good. There were opportunities for the bowlers here. If the batsmen had settled in, they could have put pressure on the bowlers."

Aiden Markram, India vs South Africa 2nd T20: India suffered a humiliating defeat in the second T20 match played between India and South Africa at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. South Africa defeated India by a huge margin of 51 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1. Batting first, the South African team posted a strong score of 213 for 4 wickets in 20 overs, in response to which India was all out for 162 in 19.1 overs.

Quinton de Kock batted brilliantly

The entire responsibility of the match rested on the shoulders of South African opener Quinton de Kock. De Kock smashed a blistering 90 off 46 balls, with the help of 7 sixes and 5 fours. His 83-run partnership off 47 balls with captain Aiden Markram pushed India onto the back foot. While chasing the target, the Indian batting faltered once again. Only Tilak Varma could put up some fight, scoring 62 off 34 balls. No other batsman could even reach double figures, and the entire team was bundled out for 162.

Aiden Markram's statement about the pitch

South African captain Aiden Markram appeared pleased after the match. He praised De Kock extensively and said, "This was a fantastic win. It started with Quinton de Kock's brilliant innings, and then the other batsmen also supported well. Our bowlers were on the right line and length, and the fielding was superb. Bowlers were getting opportunities on this pitch, but if the batsmen settle in, a big score can be made. The support from the Indian fans here was tremendous."

Markram spoke about his preparations

Markram also discussed the team's preparations. He said, "Our priority is to give every player continuous opportunities so that the strongest team can be prepared for the World Cup. Everyone will get sufficient game time by the end of the SA20 league. I myself have batted in the middle order, and this is nothing new. No one is bigger than the team. We are ready to play any role if needed."

The third match of the series will now be played in Dharamshala on December 14. After this, the fourth match will be in Lucknow on December 17, and the final match will be in Ahmedabad on December 19. The next three matches are going to be decisive for both teams.