ENG VS SA 1ST T20I

Right then, that is all we have from this first T20I. It was quite an entertaining encounter and we can expect more of the same in the second T20I. That game is on Thursday, 28th of July. It will start at 11 pm IST (5.30 pm GMT). Our build-up though begins in advance. So do join us for the same. Till then, goodbye and cheers!

Moeen Ali is awarded the Player of the Match award for his performance with bat and ball. He says that it worked nicely today. He went up the order to keep the right and left-hand combination. Tells that he backs himself against the spinner and adds that he does not think much about the side the ball turns and just goes after it. Says that Jonny Bairstow is a powerful hitter of the ball and he generally has good partnerships with him. Talks about his batting and says that he is not a massive hitter of the ball like some guys and he just tries to hold his shape and go for his shots.

Jos Buttler, the skipper of England says that it was a great performance and the boys stood up. Credits Jonny Bairstow and says that the boys played brilliantly and he is happy to win this game. Tells that it is fantastic to see the boys stepping up and says that it is great to have Jonny Bairstow back in the team. Adds that Moeen Ali is the most stylish player and he would like to give him more responsibility and he has some great abilities. Mentions that both Richard Gleeson and Chris Jordan bowled with good pace and that the 18th over from Chris Jordan was a game-changer. Tells that margins are very short in the T20 game and it is all about execution, especially on the ground like this.

South Africa's captain David Miller says that the ball was traveling around and it was a great wicket and the boys showed a lot of fight. He credits Tristan Stubbs for his knock and says that it shows the kind of talent they have in South Africa. Tells that they did not bowl well in the last 10 overs and England executed quite well at the backend. Says that Tristan Stubbs is a clean striker of the ball and says that he hopes that he can continue it for a long time. Applauds Lungi Ngidi for the way he bowled and adds that it was a phenomenal effort from him.

Time for the presentation....

Earlier, England put on a wonderful batting performance on the back of half-centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali. They put on a massive target and looked like they would easily defend it at the halfway stage. Lungi Ngidi took five wickets but it has come for a losing cause. South Africa will be truly disappointed with their fielding effort today. They dropped way too many catches and let England off the hook. They will look to come back strongly in the next game.

England on the other hand started off really well taking a couple of early wickets. Reece Topley continued his good form taking two wickets and being really economical. Richard Gleeson was expensive but contributed with three crucial wickets. The spinners picked three wickets between them and overall it was a good bowling performance by the English bowlers in a small ground and on a batting wicket. The game was still up for grabs with 54 runs required of the last three overs but a wonderful over from Chris Jordan where he conceded just 3 runs all but ended South Africa's hopes of a win.

South Africa had their task cut out chasing this massive total and did not get off to the best of starts losing Quinton de Kock and Rilee Rossouw early in the chase. Reeza Hendricks and Heinrich Klaasen put up a good recovery partnership with the former getting to his half-century. However, both departed soon and with the loss of their skipper David Miller they found themselves in deep trouble. It was the blitz from Tristan Stubbs that provided a glimmer of hope for the South Africans as he reached his maiden half-century. But once he departed on 72 of just 28 deliveries all hope was lost for the visitors.

What a game we have witnessed here! England have taken the lead in this three-match series after a bit of a scare but the target of 235 proved way too much for the Proteas. They fought hard but have fallen short of the England total by 41 runs.

That's it! England win this high-scoring game! This is a yorker-length delivery on off. Maharaj manages to dig it out off the inside half of his blade towards the leg side. He takes a single and it is England who win this game by 41 runs!

Back of a length, outside off. Keshav Maharaj throws his bat at it but misses.

Angling into leg. Almost a yorker again. Lungi Ngidi looks to clip it away but misses. The ball brushes his pads and rolls towards the leg side. A leg bye taken.

A length delivery on off. Keshav Maharaj slaps it to long off for a single.

A fullish delivery on middle. Lungi Ngidi works it to mid-wicket for a single.

A full toss on off. Keshav Maharaj knocks it down to long off for a single.

Lungi Ngidi is the new batter at the crease.

OUT! CAUGHT! Richard Gleeson gets his third wicket and after bowling three expensive over, he manages to get three wickets in his final over! A low full toss on the pads. Andile Phehlukwayo flicks and flicks it aerially towards Adil Rashid at square leg. He takes a fine catch and England are just two wickets away now and this over has sealed the deal for England.