The visiting side won the first T20I despite not being at their best, which will give them added confidence
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It’s difficult to establish whether the nail-biting nature of the first T20I was about as good as this hollowed South African unit can produce, or the harbinger of a tremendously competitive T20I series. South Africa would brush off the loss of most of their best players, especially with the bat, blasting to 188, with those who stood in for the likes of Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen more than justifying their places, and possibly even giving the selectors a headache ahead of the T20 World Cup. It was telling, though, that the death bowling couldn’t drive home a victory from an especially favourable…