India v/s South Africa 1st T20: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shikhar Dhawan star in 28-run victory

Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Sunday claimed a five wicket haul at the New Wanderers Stadium and helped India win the first T20 International against South Africa by 28 runs.

India had plundered 203 for five from their 20 overs on a flat batting wicket as opener Shikhar Dhawan hit a superb 72 from 39 balls. Having being sent into bat, the Indian team looked comfortable and confident with opners Dhawan and Rohit Giving India a quick start.

However, Rohit fell in the second over. Suresh Raina, returning to Team India after almost an year, too started agressively. He too fell soon but India had got the desired momentum.

Skipper Virat Kohli chipped in with a quick 26 and Manish Pandey scored 29, taking the Indian team total to 203 for five wickets in 20 overs.

Junior Dala picked up two wickets, while Chris Morris, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Andile Phehlukwayo scalped one each.

The hosts came close with a powerful performance by opener Reeza Hendricks, who scored his maiden T20I fifty. His 70-run knock included eight fours and one six.

Farhaan Behardien chipped in with a late 39 off 27 balls. He, however, was dismissed off Yuzvendra Chahal's final ball.
Jaydev Unadkat, Hardik Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal claimed one wicket each.\

South Africa were in the game until Kumar's final over when he picked up the key wicket of Reeza Hendricks (70 from 50 balls), and then dismissed Heinrich Klaasen (16) and Chris Morris (0) in successive balls, before Dane Paterson (1) was the fourth wicket to fall as he was run out.

The home side ended their innings on 175 for nine, continuing their struggles against the tourists in the limited overs matches on the tour having been thrashed 5-1 in the one-day international series.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who claimed a T20I best of 5 for 24, was declared the man of the match. Kumar also became the second Indian to pick up a five-fer in a T20I.

India now lead the three match T20I series 1-0.

South Africa were dealt a blow before the start of the match as their best batsman AB de Villiers was ruled out of the series with a knee injury.

The second Twenty20 clash will be played in Pretoria on Wednesday, with the final game on Saturday in Cape Town.