New Delhi: The spin trio led by left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked up eight wickets as India beat South Africa by seven wickets in the third and final One Day International (ODI) here on Tuesday to win the three-match series 2-1.
Chasing South Africa’s 100-run target, India chased down 105 for three in 19.1 overs with opener Shubman Gill (49 off 57 balls, eight fours). Shreyas Iyer scored 28 not out off 23 balls. He hit three fours and two sixes in his innings. This is India’s biggest win against South Africa in terms of balls remaining. The hosts registered a victory with 185 balls to spare, whereas earlier on February 4, 2018, at Centurion, they had defeated this team with 177 balls to spare.
.𝐇.𝐀.𝐌.𝐏..𝐎.𝐍.𝐒!#TeamIndia , #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/rHqevCsVxz
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 11, 2022
This is India’s 38th international (in all formats) win this year. It equaled Australia’s record for most wins in a calendar year, having achieved the feat in 2003. India also avenged their 0-3 ODI series defeat in South Africa earlier this year. South Africa in front of the bowling balls of Kuldeep (four for 18 in 4.1 overs), off-spinner Washington Sander (2 for 15 in four overs) and left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed (2 for 32 in seven overs) India’s team was reduced to 99 runs, which is their lowest score on Indian soil.
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The spin trio took eight wickets for 65 runs in 15.1 overs. Fast bowler Mohammad Siraj also took two wickets for 17 runs in five overs. Heinrich Klaasen (34) was the top scorer for South Africa. Apart from him, only openers Jaaneman Malan (15) and Marco Jensen (14) could reach double digits. This is the second lowest score for South Africa this year. Earlier, the team was bundled out for just 83 runs against England in Manchester on 22 July.
Gill and captain Shikhar Dhawan (08), who came out to chase the target, gave a good start to the first wicket by adding 42 runs in 6.1 overs. Gill looked in rhythm from the beginning. He opened the account with a boundary in the first over of Marco Jensen and then hit three more fours on this fast bowler. Dhawan hit a four on Lungi Ngidi but he was run out due to a misunderstanding with Gill. Dhawan plays Bjorn Fortuin on point.
Gill first called him for a run and then sent him back. However, before Dhawan reached the crease, wicketkeeper de Kock uprooted his stumps on Jenson’s throw. Ishan Kishan (10) opens the account with a boundary on Fortuin. India’s half-century of runs was completed in the 10th over. Ishan hit another boundary on Fortuyn but was caught on the next ball to De Kock. Shreyas Iyer was lucky when a short ball from Anrich Norkia was upper cut but Jensen dropped his catch at third man and the ball went for six. Iyer then hit two fours on Fortuyn as well.
Gill also hit fours on Jenson and Ngidi. When India were just three runs away from the target, Gill went lbw off Ngidi’s delivery. Iyer gave India victory with a six off Jason in the first ball of the 20th over. Sanju Samson remained unbeaten after making two. Dhawan won the toss and invited South Africa to bat and the bowlers left no stone unturned to justify their decision. South Africa had a very poor start and the team lost three wickets for only 26 runs in 10 overs and the team never recovered from it. The pitch was helping the bowlers after two consecutive days of rain.
India defeated Washington to open the bowling. He got Quinton de Kock (06) caught by Avesh Khan in his second and third over of the innings itself. Opener Jaaneman Malan (15) hit three fours in Siraj’s three overs but in an attempt to play a big shot off the same fast bowler, he was caught by Avesh on the boundary. Siraj also got Reeza Hendricks (03) caught at short fine by substitute Ravi Bishnoi in his next over, while Shahbaz sent Aidan Markram (09) to the pavilion.
Klaasen hits fours on Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz and Washington. Washington bowled David Miller (07) off a straight ball, making South Africa five for 66 runs. After this the magic of Kuldeep’s spin was shown. After Kuldeep bowled Andile Phehlukwayo (05), Bjorn Fortuyn (01) and Anrich Norkia (00) were sent to the pavilion in successive deliveries.
He ended South Africa’s innings by getting Jensen caught by Avesh at deep square leg. South Africa lost the last six wickets for just 33 runs. Earlier the match started half an hour late due to wet ground. (agency)