South Africa beat India by four wickets with almost two overs to spare in their second Twenty20 international on Sunday, thanks to Heinrich Klaasen's 81 runs off 46 deliveries.
In the five-match series, the Proteas have a 2-0 lead.
After South Africa struggled against the new ball, the wicketkeeper-innings, batter's which included seven boundaries and five sixes, turned the game. In response to India's 148-6, the visitors scored 149-6 in 18.2 overs
“Quinton de Kock told me that he has injured his wrist, so I got to know that I am playing yesterday,” Klaasen said. “It looked very difficult with the new ball, but I tried to target the spinners. I am glad it happened against India.”
After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, India lost Ruturaj Gaikwad (1) in the first over. Kagiso Rabada, who returned 1-15 in four overs, caught him.
Kishan was out-caught by Anrich Nortje (2-36) who provided the breakthrough.
As South Africa's bowlers squeezed the middle overs, Iyer top scored for India with 40 off 35. With captain Rishabh Pant (5), who was caught off Keshav Maharaj, he only added 20 runs (1-12).
Hardik Pandya (9) was bowled by Wayne Parnell before Iyer was caught behind by Dwaine Pretorius (1-40).
India were reduced to 98-5 in 13.5 overs before Dinesh Karthik steadied the innings with an unbeaten 30 from 21 balls, including two fours and two sixes, but the total was still below par. Only three Indian batters reached the 20-run mark.
South Africa were reduced to 29-3 in 5.3 overs in reply.
The Proteas were pinned back by Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 3-10 burst in the powerplay overs.
In the first over, he bowled Reeza Hendricks (4), and in the sixth over, he bowled Rassie van der Dussen (1). In the interim, Pretorius (4) holed up and became stranded in the deep. Kumar bowled four overs and finished with 4-13.
Temba Bavuma, the skipper, kept the ship afloat with a 35 off 30 rating, while Klaasen relieved the pressure with some hard hitting.
At the halfway point, South Africa were up 57-3, but Bavuma relieved the pressure with three fours off Hardik Pandya (0-31).
Klaasen, who has only played one test match but 29 T20s and 24 ODIs for South Africa, faced the Indian spinners and reached his half-century in 32 balls.
Before Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed Bavuma, the pair added 64 runs off 41 balls for the fourth wicket.
Klaasen then teamed up with David Miller (20 not out) to take 23 runs off Chahal's 17th over to help South Africa win the game.
"We were short by 10-15 runs. We bowled well in the first few overs, but we weren't up to the task after that "Pant stated his opinion. "We needed wickets in the second half but couldn't get them."
South Africa won the first match of the series by seven wickets in Delhi and made two c