South Africa’s Aiden Markram during the second ODI between India and South Africa. (Image: PTI Photo/Kunal Patil) RAIPUR: Displaying the kind of tough character which saw them win their first Test series in India a few days back, South Africa equalized the ODI series 1-1 with an incredible four-wicket victory in the second game here on Wednesday night. Undaunted by India setting a formidable total of 358/5, the South Africans — powered by a brilliant hundred from Aiden Markram (110 off 98b; 10×4, 4×6), a half century from new sensation Matthew Breetzke (68; 64b, 5×4), Dewald Brevis’ 54 (34b, 5×6, 1×4) and a vital knock from skipper Temba Bavuma (46 off 48b; 3×4, 1×6) — successfully chased down the tar get under lights.
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Making full use of the dew and some ordinary bowling by India, SA justified their decision to bowl first with some terrific batting. This is only the second time that India have lost an ODI after posting 350-plus while batting first. Interestingly, on that occasion too, against Australia in Mohali in 2019, they had scored 358. SA’s magnificent chase meant the efforts of the peerless Virat Kohli, who smashed a second successive hundred (102 off 93 balls; 7×4, 2×6) and an impressive Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 off 83 balls, 12×4, 2×6) — who cracked his maiden ODI century off just 77 balls — went in vain. So did stand-in-captain KL Rahul’s 66 not out (43 balls, 6×4, 2×6).While their three spinners took just one wicket between them in 21 overs while conceding 147 runs, of particular concern to India will be the way pacer Prasidh Krishna went for 2-85 in just 8.2 overs, putting a huge question mark on his selection. India were left to rue a missed opportunity when Markram was dropped by Yashasvi Jaiswal at long-on while batting on 53 off Kuldeep Yadav in the 18th over. South Africa lost opener Quinton de Kock (8) but were put back on track by a 101-run stand in 96 balls for the second wicket between Markram and Bavuma. After Bavuma perished to a hook shot off Krishna in the 21st over, Markram put on 70 in 55 balls for the third wicket with Breetzke. When Harshit Rana had Markram caught at long on off a slow bouncer, India heaved a sigh of relief. However, Breetzke and Brevis added 92 in 64 balls for the fourth wicket to provide wings to SA’s superb chase. Brevis pulled Harshit Rana for back-to-back sixes in the 40th over. The consistent Breetzke, who scored 72 off 80 balls in the first ODI in Ranchi, has enjoyed a splendid start to his ODI career, having scored six fifties and a hundred in his first 11 ODIs. With 27 needed in five overs, Tony de Zorzi retired hurt on 17. However, Corbin Bosch took SA home with four balls to spare. Earlier, Kohli and Gaikwad put on 195 in just 156 balls for the third wicket, India’s highest ever partnership against South Africa in ODIs.
