India pulled off a sensational win against South Africa at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Thursday, defending 349, where there was rapid scoring, quick wickets and momentum shifts with every over. The great 135 off 120 balls, containing 11 fours and 7 sixes, compiled by Virat Kohli was the cornerstone of India’s innings as the hosts could muster only 349 for eight in their allotted 50 overs.
India made a good start with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma providing early impetus. Rohit was in elegant touch, stroking 57 from 51 before he was caught off Marco Jansen. That’s when Kohli seized control, first building partnerships – with Rohit to start with, and then KL Rahul – as India kept motoring along at a good pace. Rahul’s fluent 60 from 56 and a fiery 32 of 20 by Ravindra Jadeja took India to a challenging total. It was a combination of the South Africa’s bowlers who shared the spoils equally amongst themselves with Burger, Jansen, Bosch and Baartman claiming two apiece.
In pursuit of 350, South Africa got off to a disastrous start, slumping to 11/3 in the first five overs as Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh wreaked havoc. Matthew Breetzke attempted to hold things together with a gritty 72 off 80 balls, while Tony de Zorzi chipped in with a brisk 39. But the real transformation came courtesy of Marco Jansen, who carted the ball with three fours and as many sixes in a 39-ball-70 to keep South Africa in consideration with a 97-run stand for the seventh wicket alongside Breetzke.
Corbin Bosch with a hard-hitting 67 off 51 added some more drama, but Kuldeep Yadav’s guile (4/68) kept India always ahead. South Africa were ultimately dismissed for 332 in 49.2 overs, some way short despite a tenacious late order rally.
With this win, India go up 1-0 in the series and we can expect a lot more action.