Raipur, Dec 3 (IANS) Aiden Markram’s superb century, along with breezy fifties by Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis, helped South Africa pull off a mammoth chase of 359 and beat India by four wickets to level the three-game series 1-1 at the Shheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Wednesday.
After centuries by Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, along with KL Rahul’s unbeaten fifty propelled India to 358/5 in 50 overs, Markram anchored the pursuit with a superb 110 off 98 balls, while Breetzke’s fluent 68 and Dewald Brevis’ enterprising 54 provided the middle-order muscle to complete the chase with four balls to spare.
Markram’s century was the fulcrum of the Proteas chase, built on partnerships of 101 and 70 with Temba Bavuma (45) and Breetzke, and capitalised on being dropped on 53 by Yashasvi Jaiswal to the fullest. Breetzke and Brevis then stitched together a 92-run stand for the fourth wicket to keep South Africa ahead of the asking rate in dewy conditions, as India made costly lapses with the ball and in the field.
Corbin Bosch applied finishing touches by hitting an unbeaten 29 to ensure the visitors completed their third-highest ODI chase and silenced the Raipur crowd. Chasing 359 also equals the joint-highest score ever chased against India in ODIs, alongside Australia’s successful pursuit in Mohali in 2019.
South Africa’s chase was off to a flier when Markram and Quinton de Kock hit five boundaries between themselves in the first three overs. But India struck when Arshdeep Singh forced de Kock to hit over leg-side, and the leading edge was caught by mid‑on and dismissed him for eight. Though Arshdeep and Harshit Rana continued to trouble Markram, the right-hander produced crisp strokes once the new ball threat was gone.
He and Temba Bavuma took a boundary each off Prasidh Krishna, as South Africa ended the first Power-play at 51/1. With dew setting in, Markram grew in confidence against spin by taking boundaries off them consistently to reach his half‑century off 52 balls. Kuldeep Yadav’s introduction offered India little respite, as a dropped catch by Jaiswal at long‑on gave Markram a reprieve on 53.
Prasidh eventually dismissed Bavuma for 46 with a short ball, which the batter hooked to deep mid-wicket. Markram, however, marched forward with clean striking against Prasidh, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja to get his first hundred as an ODI opener in 88 balls. His subdued celebration reflected the task ahead – of getting South Africa home in a tall chase.
But Markram fell for 110 when he was foxed by a clever off-cutter from Rana and holed out to long‑on. With the Proteas pacing the chase well under dew‑laden conditions, Brevis lifted the tempo by striking Kuldeep for a straight six and ramping Arshdeep over the keeper. Breetzke, more circumspect against spin, punished Prasidh by hitting boundaries to keep the rate in check.
While Breetzke reached his seventh fifty in just 11 ODI innings, Brevis showcased his flair with twin sixes off Rana. He raced to his half‑century off just 33 balls by lofting Kuldeep over long-off for six. But on the very next ball, he fell attempting another big hit, and holed out to long‑on to give Kuldeep his first wicket.
Breetzke and Tony de Zorzi continued to launch boundaries, before the former was trapped lbw by Prasidh for 68, while Marco Jansen holed out to long-off against Arshdeep. Though de Zorzi had to retire hurt due to a hamstring injury, Bosch hit three boundaries and knocked off the remaining runs to take South Africa over the line and make Saturday’s clash in Visakhapatnam a tantalising decider.
Previously, Gaikwad was superb in his play against spinners to go from a fifty off 52 balls to reach his first-ever ODI century in just 77 deliveries, and eventually finished with 105 off 83 deliveries. Kohli, meanwhile, continued from where he left off in Ranchi by smashing 102 off 93 balls – his second consecutive hundred in the series and took his tally to 53 ODI centuries and 84 overall in international cricket.
After the duo had a wonderful 195-run stand for the third wicket, Rahul ensured India closed strongly by remaining unbeaten on 66 off 43 balls, especially after being dropped by Breetzke on 44. Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 24 not out, and together with Rahul added 69 runs for the sixth wicket to push India past the 350-mark.
Inserted into batting first, openers Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal were tested as South Africa’s seamers found swing. But at the same time, the Proteas struggled for control – a returning Lungi Ngidi leaked four wides in his first six deliveries, while Nandre Burger’s opening over went for 14 runs, including two driven boundaries from Jaiswal.
Rohit went after an erring Burger by hitting three boundaries – two of which came off an outside edge. But in an attempt to defend off Burger, the ball took the outside edge behind to de Kock and South Africa got the decision in their favour via DRS, as Rohit fell for 14. Five overs later, a scratchy Jaiswal looked to pull a sharp short ball from Jansen, but mistimed to square leg and fell for 22.
Amidst all this, the Raipur crowd loudly roared when Kohli pulled Ngidi for six, before bringing his wrists into play to flick Jansen for a boundary. Jansen, meanwhile, continued to pepper Gaikwad with short-pitched bowling, but the batter wasn’t rattled and even top-edged over long leg for six, after sweeping Keshav Maharaj for two boundaries.
Kohli, meanwhile, broke the shackles against Bosch by stepping out to drive straight past mid-on. He followed up by driving Markram through cover for four, a stroke which former India head coach Ravi Shastri said on air was the one he played well against Nathan Lyon. Kohli’s fluency complemented Gaikwad’s flair, as both reached their half-centuries in successive overs – Kohli got it off 47 balls while Gaikwad reached the mark in 52 balls.
After Kohli glanced Maharaj for four, Gaikwad showcased his middle-order gears by taking down the left-arm spinner for two fours and a six – coming via sweep and confident footwork – in the 28th over. He then tore into Bosch by whipping, driving, and pulling him for boundaries, even as Kohli powered into the 90s with a ferocious straight drive that nearly floored his batting partner at the non-striker’s end.
Gaikwad’s century came on the 77th ball he faced, by pulling Bosch over long-on for four, and he celebrated the joyous moment with a warm embrace from Kohli. Jansen eventually returned to dismiss Gaikwad for 105 with a slower offcutter, which he pulled to deep square leg and got a standing ovation from the crowd for his fantastic knock.
There was more delight in store for fans when Kohli brought up back-to-back ODI hundreds for the 11th time in his career with a single to long-on and celebrated it with his trademark jump, loud shout, and looking upwards to thank the Almighty.
His innings ended on 102 when Ngidi deceived him with a slower ball, and he holed out to long-on. Washington Sundar’s stay was brief – run out for just one after a mix-up with Rahul, who was quick in pulling, lofting, scooping, whipping, and sweeping to get boundaries quickly.
Rahul brought up his second consecutive fifty off 34 balls by slashing Jansen behind point for four. Some lofty blows from him and Jadeja ensured India got 18 runs in the final over and crossed the 350-run mark, which was inadequate to avoid a loss against a determined Proteas batting line-up.
Brief scores:
India 358/5 in 50 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 105, Virat Kohli 102, KL Rahul 66 not out; Marco Jansen 2-63, Nandre Burger 1-43) lost to South Africa 359/6 in 49.2 overs (Aiden Markram 110, Matthew Breetzke 68, Dewald Brevis 54, Temba Bavuma 45; Arshdeep Singh 2-54, Prasidh Krishna 2-82) by four wickets
–IANS
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