Ranchi: The Indian team defeated South Africa by 7 wickets in the second match of the three-match series. In the second match played in Ranchi, the South African team, batting first, set a target of 279 to win in front of Team India. Team India won the match by losing 3 wickets, thanks to Shreyas Iyer’s unbeaten century and Ishan Kishan’s explosive 93-run knock. Shreyas Iyer played an innings of 113 not out, scoring the second century of his ODI career. At the same time, Sanju Samson remained unbeaten on 30 runs. The three-match series is now level at 1-1. The final and deciding match will be played on October 11.
Chasing the target, the start of the Indian team was not good. Shikhar Dhawan was bowled by Wayne Pernell after scoring 13 runs. Shubman Gill, who was looking in good rhythm, also played an innings of 28 runs and was caught by Kagiso Rabada on the ball. After this, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer played a brilliant inning and hit shots all around the field. Iyer and Kishan shared 161 runs for the third wicket. Kishan played an innings of 93 runs on his home ground with the help of 4 fours and 7 sixes in 84 balls.
While Ishan Kishan missed out on his maiden ODI century, Iyer managed to score his second century. After Kishan’s dismissal, Iyer-Samson did not let the team get shocked. Both shared an unbeaten 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Iyer played an unbeaten 113 runs in 111 balls with the help of 15 fours. Samson hit a four and a six in his short innings.
Brilliant bowling by Mohammad Siraj
Earlier, South Africa, batting first, scored 278 for seven on the basis of half-centuries from Aiden Markram (79) and Reeza Hendrix (74). Hendrix hit nine fours and a six in his 76-ball innings while Markram hit seven fours and a six in his 89-ball knock. David Malan, running in great rhythm, remained unbeaten on 35 off 34 balls. The Indian bowlers bowled brilliantly in the opening and last overs of the match, with Mohammad Siraj impressing the most. Siraj took three wickets for 38 runs in 10 overs.
Keshav Maharaj took over in place of Temba Bavuma
Washington Sundar (1 for 60), debutant Shahbaz Ahmed (1 for 54), Kuldeep Yadav (1 for 49), and Shardul Thakur (1 for 36) also took a wicket each. Keshav Maharaj, who was leading South Africa in the absence of regular captain Temba Bavuma, won the toss and elected to bat. Experienced Quinton de Kock hit a brilliant boundary against Mohammad Siraj on the very first ball of the innings but this bowler bowled him on the opening ball of his second over.
Shahbaz took the first wicket of his ODI career by dismissing Malan
Opener Jaaneman Malan (25) and Hendrix then batted carefully. All-rounder Shahbaz took the first wicket of his ODI career by lbw Malan in the 10th over. The appeal of this left-arm spin bowler was turned down by the ground umpire but he had to change his decision at the time of review. Hendrix hit a four against Kuldeep Yadav in the 12th over, after which the teams fifty was completed in this over.
Reeza Hendricks hits fourth half-century of ODI career
Hendrix completed the fourth half-century of his ODI career by taking one run against Shahbaz in the 26th over of the innings. He hit the first six of the innings against Kuldeep in the next over. On the appeal of Avesh on the second ball of the 28th over against Markram, the umpire gave it out but after resorting to review, he survived. Replays showed that the ball went into the gloves of wicketkeeper Sanju Samson without taking the edge of his bat. He completed his half-century in 64 balls by taking a run on the next ball. This is his fifth fifty in ODIs.
Mohammad Siraj made Team India return to the match
On the very next ball, Hendrix completed a century partnership with Markram in 107 balls by hitting a four. Markram also hit his first six after taking Washington Sundar’s ball to the audience. This partnership that would have been dangerous was broken by Siraj by dismissing Hendrix. Klaasen, who came to the crease, showed an aggressive attitude against Sundar for a four and then a six against Shahbaz. South Africa completed 200 runs in the 37th over with his four. He then hit the second six of his innings against Kuldeep but this bowler trapped him in his spin on the last ball of the over. Klaasen scored 30 off 26 balls.
David Miller remained unbeaten on 35
Sundar gave a big success to the Indian team by walking Markram in the next over. Captain Shikhar Dhawan took his brilliant catch by diving. With this wicket, South Africa’s score went from 215 for three to 215 for five. David Miller, running in fine form, hit a four against Sundar in the 40th over and Kuldeep in the 41st over but his partner Wayne Parnell struggled to score runs at the crease.
Shardul Thakur ended Parnell’s 22-ball 16 in the 47th over at the hands of Shreyas Iyer. Miller ended his 41-ball drought in the 49th over with the bat hitting two consecutive fours against Shardul. Siraj gave only three runs in the last over and captain Maharaj (5 runs) was bowled. South Africa’s team could score only 26 runs in the last five overs.
