India cruise to victory after feeble Proteas display

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan led India to a nine-wicket win over South Africa at Centurion.

Published : Feb 04, 2018 19:01 IST

India made light work of claiming a 2-0 lead in their six-match one-day international series with South Africa after the Proteas were skittled for 118.

Aiden Markram's debut as South Africa captain went from bad to worse at Centurion as the hosts struggled to deal with India's spinners – registering their lowest ODI total on home soil.

Without Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers, the Proteas' batting line-up lacked firepower as only five players reached double figures, and not one went past 25.

Spinners Yuzvendra Chahal (5-22) and Kuldeep Yadav (3-20) were their tormentors in-chief, the former claiming his first ODI five-for as they shared 8-42 from 14 overs.

Having been dismissed for such a miserly total, South Africa's bowlers had the unenviable task of trying to stop Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli.

It was too big a challenge as India romped home by nine wickets - albeit after a ludicrous 40-minute break for lunch with just two required - giving them control of the series as it heads to Cape Town.

Kagiso Rabada thought he had Rohit in the second over, but a successful review showed the Indian opener had not edged behind to Quinton de Kock.

Rohit (15) was walking in Rabada's next over as he picked out Morne Morkel in the deep, but attempts to remove Dhawan (51 not out) and Kohli (46 not out) proved futile.

Even Imran Tahir (0-30) could not cause the Indian duo any troubles as the tourists coped with the slow conditions much better than their hosts.

Dhawan had some fortune when he was dropped by David Miller in the covers, but the game was already gone for South Africa.

Victory was delayed when the umpires took the players off with India only needing two to win, but when they returned Kohli struck the winning runs with a sweep for two.

India's impressive performance with the bat was in stark contrast to South Africa's earlier in the day, De Kock lucky not to be out first ball when a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah (1-12) hit the stumps but failed to dislodge the bails.

It was a reprieve South Africa failed to take advantage of as they slumped to 51-4 having been 39-0, with skipper Markram removed for just eight.

JP Duminy (25) and debutant Khaya Zondo (25) offered a glimpse of hope as they put on 48 for the fifth wicket, but the latter's dismissal began a collapse that saw their final six wickets fall for just 19 runs.

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