India thrash hapless Proteas as tourists slump to lowest total

WITH the T20 World Cup a mere seven games away, the Proteas produced an uncertain performance in the opening T20I against India yesterday, that will have coach Shukri Conrad concerned about where his team is actually going.

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

PROTEAS T20 captain Aiden Markram's stumps are rearranged in the first T20I against India in Cuttack.

(AFP)

They went down by a mammoth 101 runs, bowled out for just 74 in 12.4 overs, in response to the hosts' 175/6, which in short format terms is a proper snotklap.

It was also the Proteas' lowest ever total in T20Is.

What perhaps mattered more than the defeat was the evidence that tourists are still casting around for a workable method for the tournament here in India and Sri Lanka in just a couple of months' time.

From the moment Quinton de Kock edged Arshdeep Singh's second delivery to second slip, the Proteas were never in the run chase. Tristan Stubbs played a couple of promising drives upon his return to the Proteas after a refresher stint back home, but he too could not prevent Arshdeep from continuing his whiteball dominance over the visitors.