South Africa produced a spirited performance to hold India to a 2-2 draw in Cape Town, ending a run of defeats to the Asian champions that stretched back 13 years and keeping the Test series alive. The build-up carried added significance too – it was the first time South Africa had played a Test match at Hartleyvale since 2017, and the crowd responded with energy that the players fed off all night.
South Africa handed a debut to U21 stalwart Damian Knott, while also rotating the squad with Sihle Ngubane and Nic Spooner coming in for Mustapha Cassiem, Viwe Mbata, Niel Raath and Matt de Sousa. India started the brighter, carving out a string of dangerous openings before Harmanpreet Singh fired home the opener. The visitors threatened repeatedly but were wasteful at penalty corner time. South Africa almost made them pay when Dayaan Cassiem teed up Hans Neethling, only for the striker to pull his effort wide.
The second quarter became a tight arm wrestle. Both sides traded penalty corners without a breakthrough, and South Africa continued to look lively without finding the final touch. They grew steadily into the contest and reached half-time trailing 1-0.
The third quarter was South Africa at their best. Dayaan Cassiem lashed home an equaliser from an acute angle, catching the keeper flat-footed and lifting the Hartleyvale crowd. Riding that momentum, South Africa pushed again. Cassiem stole possession in the circle and squared the ball to Neethling, who made no mistake this time to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Two penalty corners followed, but neither was converted, and South Africa needed composure to withstand a late Indian surge to hold their lead into the final quarter.
India kept coming and eventually levelled through another Harmanpreet penalty corner, despite an earlier save from Cullin de Jager. The visitors flashed another chance wide before South Africa countered dangerously up the left.
With five minutes remaining both sides received yellow cards, but South Africa defended with immense discipline. And in a dramatic finale, the hosts surged forward again and won a penalty corner with 56 seconds left. Sadly, the execution faltered
The match finished 2-2 –the first draw between these sides since South Africa defeated India at the London 2012 Olympic Games — and a performance full of grit, energy and belief as the series moves forward.
