IND vs SA | 2nd T20I | Klaasen's whirlwind 81 flattens India as South Africa claim 2-0 lead

A magnificent counter-attacking knock from Heinrich Klaasen has helped South Africa beat India by five wickets in the second T20I in Cuttack and claim a 2-0 series lead.

Chasing 149 to win, South Africa looked in deep trouble at the end of the powerplay as they lost their three top-order batters - Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius and Rassie Van der Dussen - to the ever-so magnificent Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who gave away just 13 runs in his 4 overs and claimed 4 wickets.

However, Klaasen had other ideas. The wicketkeeper-batsman launched a stunning assault on Hardik Pandya and the spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel to make an absolute mockery of the target.

The Proteas were 57/3 at the halfway mark, but things changed for the worse for the home side after that.

Klassen smashed Hardik for a couple of fours in the 11th over before he teed into the spin duo of Axar and Chahal.

Axar was taken for 21 in his first over, while Chahal did dismiss Temba Bavuma in the 13th, it didn't matter to Klassen as he hammered Hardik and then Chahal in the next two to not only get past his 50 but also seal the final few nails in the Indian coffin.

Chahal was taken for three sixes by Klassen in his last over, which rounded off a forgettable night for the Indian leggie as he conceded 49 in 4.

Klassen was eventually dismissed by Harshal in the 17th over for a brutal 46-ball 81, but by then, the game was as good as over.

Karthik's cameo lifted India to 148

India rode on cameos from opener Ishan Kishan (34 off 21) and finisher Dinesh Karthik (30* off 21) to rack up 148/6 on what was a slow wicket in Cuttack.

Batting first, India got off to a poor start as Ruturaj Gaikwad holed out at point in the first over while trying to drive at a wide delivery from Kagiso Rabada, who notched up his 5oth T20I wicket in the process.

Rabada was brilliant in the powerplay as he gave away just 4 runs in two overs. However, Ishan proceeded to take the attack to Anrich Nortje and Wayne Parnell to ensure that India racked up 42 in 6.

The wicketkeeper-batsman smashed two fours and three sixes during his 21-ball 34 before eventually getting dismissed by Nortje.

His dismissal triggered a collapse as India lost Shreyas (40 off 35), skipper Pant (5 off 7) and Hardik Pandya (9 off 12) in the next 7 overs while scoring just 50 runs in the process.

Dinesh Karthik also struggled to get going during the first half of his innings as he managed just 8 runs off his first 14 deliveries, but the veteran cricketer made up for it in the end as he smashed two fours and as many sixes to lift India to 148.

Harshal Patel provided an ideal support, scoring 12 off 9, but those two late flourishes didn't help Men in Blue as they have now lost the first two matches of this five-match T20I series. 

Brief Scores:

India 148/6 (20)

Shreyas Iyer 40 (35), Ishan Kishan 34 (21);

Kagiso Rabada 1/15 (4), Anrich Nortje 2/36 (4)

South Africa 149/6 (18.1)

Heinrich Klaasen 81 (46), Temba Bavuma 35 (30);

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4/13 (4)

South Africa won by four wickets.