Stats: Lowest ODI totals for South Africa at home

Though the dynamics of limited-overs cricket have changed in the last few years the home team still rolls out pitches that might be flatter but bring some home advantage. If it is a match in the subcontinent the wicket gets slower and the ball turns as the game progresses. The ball moves early and seams throughout when playing in countries like Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa. But the Proteas have been fish out of water in the ongoing ODI series against India.

This team certainly isn’t their best. AB de Villiers is missing and so is skipper Faf du Plessis; the first time since 2009. The situation was such that the selectors had to appoint two ODIs old Aiden Markram the captain. They do have the likes of Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, David Miller and JP Duminy in the line-up but none of them has been at his best.

After losing the first ODI by a margin of eight wickets, Indian captain Virat Kohli won the toss and asked the South Africans to bat first yet again. They lost Amla early to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and like the first ODI, once the Indian wrist-spin twin was into the attack the Proteas had no clue. None of their batsmen managed to read their variations.

A few did know where the leg-spinner would go but as soon as a flipper or googly was dropped in they were all bamboozled. Yuzvendra Chahal claimed the first five-wicket haul of his career and the second by an Indian in South Africa. Kuldeep Yadav also picked three and they shared eight wickets amongst them and bowled just 14.2 overs.

As a result, the home team was bowled out for 118 which is their lowest ODI score at home. While their lowest against India overall is 117 that they managed in Kenya, 1999.

Among other hapless scores is – 119 against England in Port Elizabeth during which they could only play 36.5 overs. England have bowled them out cheap under 150 thrice with the other two being 129 in London back in 1996 where they played 41.4 overs but the runs never seemed to be adding up on the board. Another was 149 in Johannesburg, 2000. The Aussie bowlers have also had the better of them in ODI cricket and bowled them out twice for less than 150.

Here are the lowest ODI totals for South Africa at home: