That brings us to the conclusion of this opening encounter, where India emerged victorious over South Africa with a dominating performance to take a 1-0 lead in this four-match T20I series. Attention now shifts to St George's Park in Gqeberha, where both teams will square off again for the second T20I. The action kicks off at 2 pm GMT, but be sure to tune in early for all the pre-match buildup and insights. Until next time, it’s cheers and goodbye!

Suryakumar Yadav, the victorious skipper says they are following the same brand of cricket and enjoying it. Mentions that the hard work Sanju Samson has put in over the years is showing in the way he is performing and says he is fearless and always puts the team ahead. Talks about the plans to bowl spin against Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller and says both Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi delivered for him. Appreciates the way the team is performing and says they make him look good as a captain. 

Aiden Markram, the skipper of South Africa talks about the toss and says he wanted to take advantage of the knowing the total but India played really well. He further added about the moving of the ball at the start of innings but then appreciated Sanju Samson for the way he attacked. Mentions that the bowlers weren't consistent. Talks about his batting and says his wicket early in the chase hammered the chances of a solid opening partnership. Mentions that as a team they will have to look at the batting where they crumbled under pressure. Concludes and talks about working on smaller things for the next game to come up as a strong team. 

Sanju Samson is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his outstanding knock of 107 off just 50 balls. He says that he is enjoying his time in the middle and want to utilise his current form. Adds that they have a positive mindset from the start and that is to attack the bowlers. Mentions that he is very clear in his mind trying to find the boundaries and sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Says that South Africa are a gun side at their home and it was important to start the series and it was a great team effort.

It's time for the Presentation Ceremony...

Earlier in the game, India faced an early setback with Abhishek Sharma's dismissal, but Sanju Samson's aggressive knock kept them on the attack. Supported by Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, India seemed poised for a 230-240 total. However, South Africa turned the tide as Keshav Maharaj's crucial breakthrough slowed the scoring, setting the tone for the rest of the South African attack to wrestle back control and restricting India to 202 runs. Gerald Coetzee stood out with the ball, picking up three key wickets, while it was Sanju Samson’s magnificent knock of 107 from just 50 deliveries that defined India’s innings with the bat.

However, the Indian spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi cast a relentless web around South Africa’s middle order, triggering a collapse that the hosts had desperately hoped to avoid. From a relatively stable position at 86/3, South Africa suddenly found themselves reeling at 93/7, as the Indian spinners spun the game decisively in their favour. The Proteas tail managed to provide some late fireworks to briefly entertain the crowd. Among them, Gerald Coetzee’s quickfire cameo of 23 runs off just 11 balls stood out, offering a flash of resistance and spirit. However, the effort was not enough to stave off the inevitable. Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi got three wickets each while Avesh Khan took two and Arshdeep Singh scalped one. South Africa were eventually bundled out for 141 runs, handing India a commanding victory in the first game.

Chasing a challenging target of 203, South Africa started with promising intent but suffered early blows, losing their top three wickets within the Powerplay for 49 runs, a less-than-ideal scenario for any chase of this magnitude. Despite the setbacks, their attacking approach kept the scoring rate afloat, preventing it from slipping too far behind. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller then took on the task of steadying the innings, digging in to rebuild South Africa's momentum. By the halfway mark, the duo’s calculated efforts had guided their team to 78/3, providing a glimmer of hope for a resurgence and setting the stage for a potential turnaround later in the innings.

India deliver a commanding performance to seal the first game with a thumping 61-run victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Their batting display was nothing short of relentless after which the spinners then took center stage, weaving their magic rounding off a truly clinical performance. This win extends India’s unbeaten run at Durban, emphasizing their dominance at the venue. Meanwhile, South Africa's struggles persist, with only one victory in their last five T20Is since the 2024, T20 World Cup finale. They'll need to regroup and find answers quickly. For now, India stands tall, setting the benchmark high with this emphatic win!

Nqabayomzi Peter is the last batter to walk in for South Africa!