After setting a target of 213 on the board, South Africa needed moments of brilliance from their fielders to make a comeback in the game. Mitchell Marsh had scored an unbeaten 177 in the previous game, and his wicket was crucial after Keshav Maharaj broke the opening partnership with David Warner’s wicket. Rassie van der Dussen put in a dive to his right at covers to take a stunning catch to send Marsh back to the dressing room.
The catch was taken in the eighth over of Australia’s run chase. After facing five dot balls from Aiden Markram, Marsh faced the first ball from Rabada. Marsh went for a drive on the rise. Rassie dived to his right and plucked one out of thin air. While the catch lifted South African players' spirits, Marsh had a wry smile on his face as he walked out of the ground. He departed for a six-ball duck as South Africa made a comeback.
Earlier Rassie disappointed with the bat. He tried to soak up the pressure against the moving ball in overcast conditions after Temba Bavuma won the toss and opted to bat first at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. After Bavuma got out for a four-ball duck in the first over to Mitchell Starc, Rassie played as many as 31 dot balls to score six runs. Ultimately, the dot ball pressure got to him and he edge done to slip fielder Steve Smith off Josh Hazlewood's bowling in the 12th over. South Africa lost four wickets for 24 runs in the 12th over.
However, a few dropped catches helped release the pressure off Australian opener Travis Head. He continued to hit big. In the 12th over, he was dropped by Reeza Hendricks in the 12th over. He made Hendricks regret the drop catch with three boundaries in the over. He was dropped two overs later off Tabraiz Shamsi's bowling. Heinrich Klaasen at first slip dropped a simple chance. Then Bavuma introduced Keshav Maharaj who struck with the first ball he bowled. Head scored 62 runs from 48 balls featuring nine fours and a couple of sixes.
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