SA vs IND, 5th ODI, Review: Dominant India seal the series as the hosts capitulate under pressure

The Indian team has created history by winning the ODI series in South Africa for the first time since their readmission in cricket. They defeated the home side by 73 runs in the fifth ODI and have taken an unassailable lead in the series of 4-1 with one more game to go. It was the century from Rohit Sharma and then the effort of the bowlers which sealed the deal for the visitors in Port Elizabeth.

The Men in Blue were invited to bat first after Aiden Markram on a pitch which had a tinge of green on it. The openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan provided the solid start to the team as the latter took the attack to the bowlers in the powerplay. But soon he was trapped by Kagiso Rabada off a short delivery on 34 off just 23 balls. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma found his groove as he started playing his shots after a slow start. He was determined and looked to play a big knock on the day.

The skipper Virat Kohli joined hands with him as the duo stitched a partnership of 105 runs for the second wicket. Just when they were looking to make the merry of the bowling attack the famous run-out saga between Rohit and Virat came to the fore. A complete miscommunication led to the dismissal of the captain who made 36 runs. Ajinkya Rahane was also run-out in a similar way for just 8 runs. However, Rohit Sharma continued gamely and looked at his best for the first time on the tour.

He notched up his 17th ODI ton soon and soaked in the applause from the crowd and the dressing room. Though there was a collapse once again in the death overs with Lungi Ngidi on fire. He bowled five overs on the trot and scalped key wickets MS Dhoni, Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer which eventually affected India’s final overs. They could never accelerate the way they would’ve liked and could post 274 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their fifty overs.

Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts as he returned with the figures of 4/51 in his nine overs. Rabada was the only other wicket-taker even as the spinner Tabraiz Shamsi also bowled well.

Stuttering chase

South Africa started the chase in a confident manner with the skipper Aiden Markram playing his shots freely. His enterprising knock of 32 runs in as many as deliveries was cut short by Jasprit Bumrah in the 10th over when he mistimed a lofted shot only to lob it to the mid-on fielder. Soon, Pandya scalped the huge wickets of AB de Villiers and JP Duminy in quick succession.

Though Hashim Amla and David Miller added 62 runs for the fourth wicket and brought the innings back on track. More importantly, the duo played the wrist-spinners carefully before the latter was castled by Yuzvendra Chahal with a beautiful loopy delivery. The fight from the home side continued even as Amla brought up his valiant half-century. Pandya once again garnered all the attention after he ran the well-set Amla out after as he fell marginally short of his crease on 71.

It seemed that the end was nigh for South Africa after the quick wicket of Andile Phehlukwayo. But Heinrich Klaasen fought for his team with the tail. His efforts went in vain with the Indian bowlers sucking all the life out of their batting. Eventually, Proteas were bowled out for 201 in the 43rd over.

Pandya was the pick of the bowlers for the visitors as the wrist-spinners also picked key wickets despite they were attacked by the opposition. Rohit Sharma was awarded the Man of the Match India have won the series now as the action moves to Centurion for the dead rubber after which the two teams will clash in the three-match T20I series.

Brief Scores

India 274/7 after 50 overs (R Sharma 115; L Ngidi 4/51)

South Africa 201 after 42.2 overs (H Amla 71, H Klaasen 39; K Yadav 4/57, H Pandya 2/30)

Result: India won by 77 runs

Man of the Match: Rohit Sharma