DK SPECIAL BOOSTS INDIA

Karthik's 27-Ball 55, Avesh Burst Help Hosts To 82-Run Win Over SA And Level Series

- Gaurav Gupta

Rajkot: After waking up late in this T20I series against South Africa, India are on a roll.

Continuing their resurgence from Vizag, where they beat the visitors by 48 runs, a relentless, ruthless India, cheered on by 28,000-plus enthusiastic fans at the SCA Stadium in Khanderi here on Friday night, blew away the Proteas by 82 runs in the fourth T20I to square the series 2-2 after being down 0-2. India's magnificent comeback makes them the favorites to win the final game in Bangalore on Sunday and clinch the series 3-2 against an increasingly vulnerable-looking South Africa.

Riding on Dinesh Karthik's magical 55 (27b, 9x4,2x6) and Hardik Pandya's 46 (31b, 3x4, 3x6), the hosts scored 169 for six-a total which looked impossible when they were tottering at 56 for three after the first 10 overs. Thereafter, making the ball bounce menacingly, seamer Avesh Khan, who was under pressure after having gone wicketless while conceding 87 runs in 11 overs coming into this match, produced a fiery spell, taking four for 18 in four overs, which included 15 dot balls, to send South Africa crashing to 87 all out in just 16.5 overs-their lowest score in T20Is.