BHUBANESWAR: One game down in the five-match T20I series, the Indian team would be keen to pull at all stops to make a comeback in the second T20I against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on Sunday.
Both the teams spent quality time in the nets on Saturday, with over 10,000 spectators present in the stands during the Indian practice season. During the pre-match press conference, Indian pacer Bhuvaneswar Kumar said, "Our batters put up a good total on the board. The bowling department let the team down. The series is wide open, we will bounce back soon.”
In Delhi, David Miller's unbeaten 31-ball 64 took the match away from India as the visitors' team scripted a seven-wicket victory. Speaking about the southpaw, Buvaneshwar said that Miller was continuing his IPL form, before adding," we would like to get rid of him early on Sunday".
Meanwhile, the spirited South African team would be determined to keep momentum on their side. Addressing the media on Saturday, Wayne Parnell said, "The match will be a crucial one. The Indian team is always a strong team in home conditions. Most of the grounds are batter-friendly in the shortest format. The pitch at Barabati Stadium seems pretty green and we are expecting overcast conditions on Sunday. We will use our bouncer in time to put Indian (batters) on the back foot.”
"In India, toss is vital, but you should do well in all departments to win the match. The Delhi pitch was a bit dry, but at Cuttack, the weather is a different one altogether," added Parnell.