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Though India lost the second T20I against South Africa by five wickets on Wednesday, with the hosts taking an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series, there was once incident that every one is talking about. India's top-scorer in the match, Rinku Singh, who scored 68* off 39 balls, hit a monstrous six on the fourth ball of the 19th over of the innings against Aiden Markram between long-on and mid-wicket. The ball sailed far away and hit the glass panel of the media centre in Gqeberha. It got shattered and the images have gone viral.
BCCI content manager Rajal Arora and BCCI media manager Moulin Parikh were sitting right at the point where the ball hit the glass panel of the media box. "This is his first fifty for the India. Life-time memory. The ball was headed right here. It came with a big thud. Somehow, only this glass pane was shut and we were very lucky," Parikh said.
"Now, to the other survivor, are you doing well Rajal, is it alright?" the anchor on Star Sports asked.
"We didn't anticipate it landing right here, because we though that the ball might dip and go down. But the ball landed right here. As he said it was a close save. The other two windows were open and this was the only one which was shut. It landed on the glass pane. Yeah, we are fine," Rajal said.
The anchor then went on to Lucy, the Cricket South Africa media manager, and asked her cheekily of the invoice for the damage has been sent to BCCI. "Yes, we already have," she smiled and replied.
"I was sitting right here (where the ball hit). I am little bit shook up. Thankfully, me and my laptop are safe."
Later, Rinku Singh said: "I am sorry that the glass panel was broken. I did not realise it back then."
Nobody saw that audacious six from #RinkuSingh coming, least of all those sitting in the media centre where the ball shattered a windowpane.
Shot, Rinku!
Tune-in to the 3rd #SAvIND T20I
Tomorrow, 7 PM onwards | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/H6yLGsuwcY
Meanwhile, South African spinners Tabraiz Shamsi and Aiden Markram used better bowling conditions to the fullest to emerge game-changers for South Africa during their five-wicket victory over India in the rain-affected second T20 International, reckoned Indian batter Tilak Varma.
Batting first, India were 180 for 7 in 19.3 overs when rain stopped play and South Africa required 152 in 15 overs to win as per DLS calculations and they surpassed the target in 13.5 overs here on Tuesday night.
While Varma revived the Indian innings after initial jitters with 29 off 20 balls, off-spinner Markram (1/29 in 3 overs) and left-arm wrist spinner Shamsi (1/18 in 4 overs) gave away only 47 runs between them, taking two vital wickets in the back-10 which stopped India from reaching 200.
With PTI inputs
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