South Africa go up 1-0, as India lose steam in the final over
Speedster Kagiso Rabada bowled a spectacular final over to help South Africa pip India by five runs in the opening One Day International of the five-match series, held in Kanpur.
India needed 11 from the last over with five wickets in hand with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (31) and Stuart Binny (two) in the middle. The pacer dismissed Dhoni caught and bowled and Binny caught at square-leg with his fourth and fifth deliveries, as India crumbled under pressure in the high-scoring match.
Earlier, South African skipper AB de Villiers smashed his 21st ODI ton to set India a competitive target of 304. Rohit Sharma hit 150 for his eighth ODI hundred but his effort went in vain for India.
The match was India’s to win until almost the 40th over with the home side needing 90 runs off 61 balls with eight wickets in hand, when Virat Kohli holed out at short fine leg off a Morkel delivery. The visitors were still confident of a victory, as Dhoni promoted himself up the order to join Sharma in the middle of the park.
Sharma, who shared in a 149-run stand for the second wicket with Ajinkya Rahane (60) to set up the chase, put on 55 with Dhoni before falling caught and bowled to leg-break bowler Imran Tahir. India needed 35 from 23 balls when it all went horribly wrong for them. Tahir dismissed Suresh Raina caught while giving the charge in the same over.
With premier pacemen Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel having completed their quota of overs it fell upon Rabada, playing in only his sixth ODI, to bowl the last over, and he finished it in style.
Sharma cracked 150 off 133 balls with 13 fours and six sixes for what was his second century against South Africa on this tour, following his 106 in the first match of the T20 International series that the home side lost 0-2.
Earlier, Man of the Match de Villiers smashed 104 off73 balls with five fours and six sixes as South Africa plundered 109 in the final 10 overs after Faf du Plessis (62) provided the visitors with a good start after opting to bat.
India were hampered by the absence of ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, playing in his 100th ODI, at a crucial time after the bowler sustained a side strain that forced him to leave the field for a considerable duration. He could only bowl 4.4 overs.
The Indian board later said in a statement that Harbhajan Singh has been called up to join the team as cover for Ashwin for the next two ODIs.
The second ODI will be played in Indore on October 14.
Brief scores: South Africa 303-5 in 50 overs (AB de Villiers104 not out, F du Plessis 62,U Yadav2-71, A Mishra 2-47) beat India 298-7 in 50 overs (R Sharma 150, A Rahane 60, K Rabada 2-58, I Tahir 2-57).
