Klaasen outclasses India as Proteas take 2-0 lead

Heinrich Klaasen has capitalised on his chance selection to smash 81 off 46 balls as South Africa beat India by four wickets in the second T20I to take a 2-0 series lead in Cuttack.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar claimed three wickets in the powerplay on Sunday to reduce South Africa to 3-29 in reply to India's modest total of 6-148 after the home side had been asked to bat.

Klaasen, selected after wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock sat out with a hand injury, smashed five sixes and seven fours in his incendiary knock as South Africa romped home with 10 balls remaining.

David Miller scored the winning run for the tourists and remained not out on 20.

"Klaasen's was a top knock," Miller said.

"It is very tough to win in India, but we still have a lot of hard work still to do."

Kumar finished with impressive figures of 4-13 but it was not enough to avert their second successive defeat in the five-match series.

India lost Ruturaj Gaekwad in the very first over but Ishan Kishan (34) and Shreyas Iyer (40) raised their hopes of a big total at the Barabati Stadium.

Once they departed, though, India's middle order simply caved in.

Dinesh Karthik smashed an unbeaten 30 down the order but they still fell short of the 150-mark.

Rishabh Pant, leading a depleted India side that was missing several frontline players including regular captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, blamed their batting for the debacle.

"We were 10 to 15 runs short," he said at the presentation ceremony.

"Bhuvi and all other fast bowlers, though, bowled very well... the spinners have to do better."

The third match will be in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.