2nd T20I, SA beat Ireland to win series: Records broken
South Africa beat Ireland in the second T20I to seal the ongoing three-match series with one game to spare. The visitors were in trouble with the bat before a blinder from David Miller helped them get to 159/7 in 20 overs. In reply, a solid performance by Tabraiz Shamsi helped the Proteas defend a target of 160. Here's more.
South Africa started poorly with the bat, losing two wickets for just zero. They were soon reduced to 24/3, 38/4, and 58/5. From there on David Miller Wiaan Mulder added 58 runs for the sixth wicket. Miller's valiant effort ensured SA surpassed the 150-run mark. In response, Ireland kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Bjorn Fortuin (3/16) and Shamsi (3/14) stood tall.
Miller faced just 44 balls for his supreme 75*. He smashed four fours and five sixes. This was his fourth T20I fifty as he raced to 1,639 runs at an average of 31.51. Miller has gone past JP Duminy's tally of 71 T20I sixes for the Proteas (73). He is now the leader in terms of T20I sixes for SA.
Overall, Miller has 1,680 runs in T20Is (also for World XI) as he got past the likes of AB de Villiers (1,672) and Shikhar Dhawan (1,673). He now has 75 T20I sixes in total. Meanwhile, Quinton de Kock scored a 20-ball 27. The southpaw has surpassed the 1,600-run mark in T20Is (1,605). He has equaled the tally of Suresh Raina in terms of runs.
After impressing largely in the first T20I (4/27), SA spinner Shamsi was instrumental once again. He claimed three wickets and has seven from two matches in this series. Shamsi has raced to 45 scalps in T20Is, going past Darren Sammy's tally (43).
