'I didn't get many opportunities to play in IPL 2022 but...': Van der Dussen reveals how RR stint helped him in 1st T20I
Rassie van der Dussen scored an unbeaten 75 off just 46 balls in the 212-run chase against India, taking South Africa to a seven-wicket victory in the first T20I in Delhi.
South Africa registered an emphatic seven-wicket win over India in the first T20I of the five-match series in Delhi on Thursday. The Proteas, riding on the contributions from Rassie van der Dussen (75* off 46 balls) and David Miller (64* off 31 balls), chased down a 212-run target with five balls remaining. Interestingly, South Africa had a nervy start to the mammoth-chase, but Miller's brisk start allowed Rassie to bide time on the crease before the duo eventually forged an unbeaten 131-run partnership.
Following the game, van der Dussen revealed that his stint in the 2022 Indian Premier League helped him in the first T20I against India. The batter revealed that he had a good idea of the bowlers and pitch conditions due to his time at Rajasthan Royals.
"Definitely (IPL has helped). I watched a lot of IPL games, did not get much of an opportunity to play but I had a pretty good idea what their bowlers would do and the conditions," van der Dussen said at the post-match press conference.
"Indian conditions are different to what we have in South Africa. I spent two month here, been in these conditions, been in the heat, so had acclimatised to that and that goes for everyone," he added.
Van der Dussen, who stitched a match-winning partnership with Miller, had initially struggled in his unbeaten 75-run knock.
"I struggled to get the pace of the wicket, I was under pressure. But David continued his form from the IPL and played a brilliant innings, put pressure on the bowlers and just pulled me through.
“He hit one or two sixes and the momentum swung towards us. I was obviously lucky, you got to acknowledge that. But luck is the part of the game.”
The second T20I of the series will be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on June 12.
